CHAP 9: Classification of rock mass: RQD, RMR & Q-system: Soils are classified according to types & properties

e.g. granular soil (-soil) & clay (c-soil). Rocks are also classified based on properties. This is to help in understanding their characteristics as construction materials & components of engineering structures thus, helping in design & construction work. Classification of rocks based on geological aspects are subjective: igneous, sediment & metamorphic. For design & construction, objective classification (numerical values) is more appropriate classification of rock based on prevailing weakness planes, number of joint set, & engineering properties like strength, weathering grade & permeability.

Rock Quality Designation, RQD: The most basic engineering classification introduced by Deere (1964), is an index of assessing rock quality quantitatively. It is more sensitive index of the core quality than the core recovery ((length of core/length of core barrel) 100 %) The RQD is a modified per cent core recovery which incorporates only sound pieces of rock core that are 100 mm or greater in length along core axis. RQD = {( Xi) / (total length of core, L)} x 100%. Xi = core length 100 mm L = length of core recovered (1.5m if barrel is full)

Core samples obtained from rock drilling

Wash boring machine YBM 2

Wash boring machine YBM 2

Wash boring machine YBM 2

Double tube core barrel is used to obtain rock core samples during wash boring. Length of barrel is 1500 mm. If core barrel is full with rock sample (100 % recovery, R) then, the total length of core is 1500 mm.

Double tube core barrel to obtain rock core samples during wash boring. Triple tube core barrel ensures minimal disturbance to the core sample

Method of obtaining RQD: (1) Direct method: CORE SAMPLES OF IN SITU ROCK MASS: ISRM recommends a core size of at least NX size (54.7 mm dia.) drilled with double-tube core barrel using diamond coring bit. Artificial (not natural) fractures or joints (that occurs during drilling) can be identified by close fitting (matched joint surface) of cores and fresh (unstained) surfaces. All the artificial joints are ignored while counting the core length for RQD. A slower drilling rate will also give a better RQD

S. No. 1 2 3 4 5

Rock mass quality Very poor Poor Fair Good Excellent

RQD (%) 0 - 25 25 - 50 50 - 75 75 - 90 90 - 100

Correlation between RQD and Rock Mass Quality

130 mm 90 mm 90 mm 75 mm 100 mm 120 mm 135 mm

1500 mm (core length)

220 mm 75 mm 95 mm 70 mm 70 mm 230 mm

KEY: --------- Fractures induced by drilling. ______ Joints.

130 mm 90 mm 90 mm 75 mm 100 mm 120 mm 135 mm

1500 mm (core length)

220 mm 75 mm 95 mm 70 mm 70 mm

230 mm

KEY: --------- Fractures induced by drilling. ______ Joints.

Fractures induce by drilling operation

Example of RQD calculation

SAFE BEARING PRESSURE guidance values

100

12

UCS (MPa)

25

SBP (MPa)

10 RQD (%) Fracture spacing (mm)

0.2 25 60

1 70 200

2 90 600

Safe bearing pressure based on rock strength & fracturing

Method of obtaining RQD: RQD is perhaps the most commonly used method to characterise the degree of jointing in borehole cores, although this parameter also may implicitly include other rock mass features like weathering and core loss. (2) Indirect method: SEISMIC PROPERTIES OF ROCK: The seismic survey method makes use of the variations of elastic properties of the rock strata that affect the velocity of the seismic waves travelling through them, thus providing useful information about the subsurface materials (e.g. cavities, dense rock, jointed rock).

Method of obtaining RQD: (2) Indirect method: The following information of the rock masses can be inferred from seismic data: (a) Location & configuration of bed rock and geological structures in the subsurface. (b) The effect of discontinuities in rock masses may be estimated by comparing the in situ compressional wave velocity with sonic velocity of intact drill core obtained from the same rock mass. [Since in situ rock are fractured and jointed hence, compressional wave velocity is lower compared to intact core]

Method of obtaining RQD: Based on seismic data of in situ rock mass and intact rock sample, RQD can be estimated: RQD (%) Velocity ratio (VF / VL)2 100

Where VF is in situ compressional wave velocity (obtained from seismic refraction method in the field), and VL is compressional wave velocity in intact rock core (obtained from ultrasonic velocity test in laboratory).

Sonic velocity test on core sample (non-destructive test) to give Vp of rock sample in laboratory

Typical Seismic Velocity Plots

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Type Of Rocks Dry, loose topsoils and silts. Dry sands, loams; slightly sandy or gravely soft clays. Dry gravels, moist sandy and gravely soils; dry heavy silts and clays; moist silty and clayey soils. Dry, heavy, gravely clay; moist, heavy clays; cobbly materials with considerable sands and fines; soft shales; soft or weak sandstones Water, saturated silts or clays, wet gravels. Compacted, moist clays; saturated sands and gravels; soils below water table; dry medium shales, moderately soft sandstones, weathered, moist shales and schists. Hardpan; cemented gravels; hard clay; boulder till; compact, cobbly and bouldery materials; medium to moderately hard shales and sandstones, partially decomposed granites, jointed and fractured hard rocks. Hard shales and sandstones, interbedded shales and sandstones, slightly fractured hardrocks. Unweathered limestones, granites, gneiss, other dense rocks.

P-wave velocity m/s 180-370 300-490 460-910 910-1460 1460-1520 1460-1830

1680-2440

2440-3660 3660-6100

Method of obtaining RQD: (3) Indirect method: VOLUMETRIC JOINT COUNT OF IN SITU ROCK MASS: Where cores are not available, RQD may be estimated from number of joints (discontinuities) per unit volume Jv. A simple relationship which may used to convert Jv into RQD for clay-free rock masses is: RQD = 115 3.3 Jv Where Jv represents the total number of joints per cubic meter or the volumetric joint count.

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Method of obtaining RQD:

(3) Indirect method: Jv has been described by Palmstrom (1986) as a measure for the number of joints within a unit volume of rock mass defined by:

Jv = (
i =1

1 ) Si

Where Si is the average joint spacing in metres for the ith joint set and J is total number of joint sets except the random joint set.

Take 1 m3 of a rock mass, with 2 joint sets, J1 & J2 Avg. spacing, S1 = 0.2 Avg. spacing, S2 = 0.3 Jv = Ji=1 (1 / Si) Si) Jv = (1/0.2) + (1/0.3) Jv = 5 + 3.3 Jv = 8.3 RQD = 115 3.3 Jv RQD = 115 3.3 8.3 RQD = 88 %

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Joint sets in rock

Joint sets in granite usually 3 sets, almost perpendicular to each other.

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Joints and joint sets in rock Joint spacing is the horizontal distances between each joint in a set and measured along a horizontal line

Joint set 2, J2

Joint set 1, J1 Joint set 3, J3

Take 1 m3 of rock mass with three joint sets, J1, J2 and J3 (major joint set only). Measure the spacing between each joint (in a given set) along a horizontal line

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Joint spacing for set J1: 135, 225, 300 & 260 mm. Average spacing, S1 = 230 mm Joint spacing for set J2 : 350 & 450 mm. Average spacing, S2 = 400 mm.
450 270 280

350 250

Joint spacing for set J3: 250, 270, 280 mm. Average spacing, S3 = 267 mm
260

135

225

300

Joint spacings J1: 135, 225, 300 & 260 mm. Average spacing, S1 = 230 mm = 0.23 m Joint spacings J2 : 350 & 450 mm. Average spacing, S2 = 400 mm = 0.4 m. Joint spacing J3: 250, 270, 280 mm. Average spacing, S3 = 267 mm = 0.267 m (Note: unit for average joint spacing is in metre) metre) Jv = 1/0.23 + 1/0.4 + 1/0.267 = 10.60 m RQD (%) = 115 3.3 Jv = 115 34.98 = 80 %

Jv =

i =1

1 ) Si

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(3) Indirect method: Compared to direct method (RQD using core sample), VOLUMETRIC JOINT COUNT gives an indication on discontinuities orientation (dip & strike). During drilling and transportation of cores, orientation of discontinuities is lost (rotation and movement of core samples), unless directional drilling is used (very expensive & usually used in petroleum exploration).

S. No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Term for Jointing Massive Very weak jointed Weakly jointed Moderately jointed Strongly jointed Very strongly jointed Crushed

Term for Jv Extremely Low Very Low Low Moderately high High Very high Extremely high

Jv < 0.3 0.3 1 13 3 10 10 30 30 100 > 100

Classification of Volumetric Joint Count, Jv (Palmstrom 1996)

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Rock quality designation, RQD: RQD Though the RQD is a simple and inexpensive index, when considered alone it is not sufficient to provide an adequate description of a rock mass because it disregards joint orientation, joint condition, type of joint filling and stress condition.

Some frequently asked question: question Which rock mass is easier to excavate, a rock with a higher or lower RQD? Which rock mass is more suitable as a foundation for a structure, rock with RQD = 90% or RQD = 30% ? Which rock mass will display rock fall, is the one with a higher or lower RQD? How can we differentiate between natural fractures and those induced by drilling?

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