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Course Catalog 01/02


Civil and Mining Engineering

ABM006 Fundamentals of Rock Mechanics I 6.0 ECTS credits

TIMEPERIOD:
Q IV

LANGUAGE:Swedish

EXAMINER
E Nordlund Prof


PREREQUISITES
Solid mechanics - Two dimensional problems, Basic course in Geology

COURSE AIM
The objective of the course is to give an introduction to rock mechanics. Special interest is focused on stress, deformation, strength and stability.

CONTENTS
Introduction (3%)
Rock mechanics preinvestigation (15%)
Geological structures in rock and their significance from a rock mechanics perspective. Classification methods. Hemisperical projection.
Rock stress (25%)
Virgin stresses in the rock mass. Stresses around underground openings. Shallow and deep seated excavations are treated. Stress transformations.
Deformation and failure of rock (25%)
Constitutive laws. Failure mechanisms and failure criteria. Experimental methods to determine deformation and strength parameters.
Design and stability of underground constructions (16%)
Design methodology for underground excavations. Local and global stability. Effects of groundwater. Hemispherical projection methods are used to investigate the risk of critical blocks.
Design and stability of rock slopes (16%)
Theories for plane, wedge, circular and topling failure of slopes. Hemispherical projection methods are used to identify failure modes. Effects of groundwater and drainage. Design criteria for slopes.

Laboratory assignment
Determination of the deformation and strength parameters of intact rock and rock joints.
Field assignment
Joint mapping (tunnel mapping and line mapping) and geological mapping (identify rock types). Determination of JRC, JCS, Point load index and RQD. Rock mass classification using the RMR method. Statistical methods are used to find the major joint orientations.

TEACHING
The teaching consists of lectures, home assignments, laboratory assignments and a field assignment. The laboratory lessons, the field trip and the written tests are compulsory.

EXAMINATION
Written tests, home assignments, laboratory assignments and a field assignment. Written examination with graded marks.
COURSE GRADE SCALE: U, 3, 4, 5

ITEMS/CREDITS

Required Assignment 3.00ECTS
Written exam 3.00ECTS

COURSE LITERATURE
Course compendium
PM for laboratory assignment and field assignment

Further information: International Office
Valid for the academic year 01/02.

Web Editor: Karin.Lindholm@dc.luth.se

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LULEÅ UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
University Campus, Porsön, 971 87 Luleå. Tel. +46 (0) 920-91 000, fax +46 (0) 920-91 399
Last edited 2001-12-17