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Curricular information is subject to change
1. Understand applications of rock mechanics within different industrial sectors.
2. Identify key concepts in underground excavation in the shallow subsurface.
3. Describe methods of assessing rock strength at laboratory and field scales.
4. Determine rock slope stability and factor of safety using quantitative methods.
5. Use different modelling softwares to assess realistic rock engineering scenarios.
Lectures:
1. Site investigation: code of practice for site investigation, desk study & map sources, bedrock mapping, overview of geophysical investigations, subsurface mapping methods (e.g. drilling, trial pits), index properties, field testing
2. Rock mechanics & engineering characterisation of hard rock: index testing, elastic parameters, two dimensional stress fields, introduction of Mohr circles and Amonton's Law, pore pressure.
3. Rock deformation: laboratory strength testing (point load, direct shear, UCS, UTS, triaxial testing), rock anisotropy, constructing Mohr circles from laboratory data, introduction into failure criteria.
4. Rock mass classification schemes: rock mass rating, geological strength index, rock tunnelling quality index, rock mass index, scale effects.
5. Tunnelling and underground excavation: tunnelling in hard ground vs. soft ground, tunnel excavation methods, case studies, tunnel failures (gravity-induced, stress-induced, water-induced), tunnel support.
6. Mining engineering: mining methods (room and pillar, shrinkage stoping, sublevel stoping, cut-and-fill, caving), blasting, associated hazards + mine collapse, treatment of old mines.
7. Rock slope stability: underlying theory, types of landslides, factor of safety, driving vs. resisting forces, landslide remediation methods.
8. Rock slope stability: quantitative methods for analysis, e.g. limit equilibrium analysis, kinematic analysis.
9. Geotechnical modelling: computational modelling of geotechnical problems, e.g. probabilistic LEM, discontinuum analysis, continuum analysis, constitutive models.
10. Geotechnical modelling: applied case studies using computational models.
Practical classes:
1. Site investigation exercise
2. Numerical modelling of lab testing, Mohr circles and failure criteria
3.. Rock mass classification with application to tunnelling/mining
4. Limit equilibrium analysis of slope stability
5. Kinematic analysis of wedge/topple/sliding failure.
| Student Effort Type | Hours |
|---|---|
| Lectures | 10 |
| Practical | 15 |
| Autonomous Student Learning | 30 |
| Total | 55 |
Not applicable to this module.
| Description | Timing | Component Scale | % of Final Grade | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continuous Assessment: Assessed practical work throughout the term | Throughout the Trimester | n/a | Standard conversion grade scale 40% | No | 50 |
| Practical Examination: Combined written and practical exam, where the practical questions relate to the content of the practical classes. | 2 hour End of Trimester Exam | n/a | Standard conversion grade scale 40% | No | 50 |
| Resit In | Terminal Exam |
|---|---|
| Summer | Yes - 2 Hour |
• Feedback individually to students, on an activity or draft prior to summative assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment
Classes will receive group and individual feedback on practical class exercises, before and after assessment of the work.
| Name | Role |
|---|---|
| Assoc Professor Tom Manzocchi | Lecturer / Co-Lecturer |