Preface................................................................................xi

1. Introduction........................................................................1

2. Geological setting..................................................................11

3. Stress..............................................................................31

4. In situ stress......................................................................41

5. Strain..............................................................................71

6. Intact rock.........................................................................85

7. Discontinuities.....................................................................113

8. Rock masses.........................................................................141

9. Permeability........................................................................149

10. Anisotropy and inhomogeneity.......................................................163

11. Testing techniques.................................................................173

12. Rock mass classification...........................................................193

13. Rock dynamics and time-dependent aspects...........................................207

14. Rock mechanics interactions and rock engineering systems (RES).....................223

15. Excavation principles..............................................................239

16. Stabilization principles...........................................................267

17. Surface excavation instability mechanisms..........................................287

18. Design and analysis of surface excavations.........................................309

19. Underground excavation instability mechanisms......................................339

20. Design and analysis of underground excavations.....................................361

References.............................................................................393

Appendix A: Stress and strain analysis.................................................399

Appendix B: Hemispherical projection...................................................431

Index..................................................................................441

Engineering rock mechanics is the discipline used to design structures built in rock. These structures encompass building foundations, dams, slopes, shafts, tunnels, caverns, hydroelectric schemes, mines, radioactive waste repositories and geothermal energy projects: in short, any structure built on or in a rock mass. Despite the variety of projects that use rock engineering, the principles remain the same. Engineering Rock Mechanics clearly and systematically explains the key principles behind rock engineering. The book covers the basic rock mechanics principles; how to study the interactions