Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Strength of Rock Mass Near the Crown With Inconsistent Slope Angle

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Indian Geotechnical Journal Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Unconfined rock mass's strength behaviour is incredibly unpredictable. The load-carrying capacity of a joint is significantly reduced if the joint angle is sinking in the direction of a slope. Therefore, evaluating its load-carrying capacity would be necessary for the foundation design of any structure close to a rock mass slope. The current study tested the load-carrying capacity of rock mass underside slope confinement using physical models. The physical model rock mass specimens were made using sandstone's low, unconfined compressive strength. The specimens were prepared using an elemental block of 25 mm × 25 mm × 75 mm. The experimental results were obtained by placing the square footing of size 150 mm on the crown, 150 and 300 mm from the edge of the test specimen. For all the test combinations, equivalent lateral confining pressure (σ3EQ) has been calculated due to side slopes and footing positions. Then, the load-carrying capacity of the rock mass was calculated and compared with experimental results. After that, a methodology has been suggested to evaluate the load-carrying capacity of rock mass and side slope confinement for application in the field.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

GMDH:

Group method of data handling

MVRA:

Multivariable regression analysis

ANN:

Artificial neural network

SRM:

Synthetic rock mass

DEM:

Discrete element grain-based model

DFNs:

Discrete fracture networks

GSI:

Geological strength index

SRF:

Strength reduction factor

JHθ :

Joint angle θ° from horizontal

JHθ-SLΦ :

Joint angle θ° from the horizontal and side slope of Φ°

c i and φ i :

Shear strength parameters of intact materials

P cr :

Crippling load

φ j :

Joint friction angle

E j :

Deformation modulus of the rock mass

J f :

Joint factor

J n :

No. of joints per meter in the direction of joints

n :

Joint inclination parameter

r :

Joint shear strength parameter

σ 3EQ :

Equivalent lateral confining pressure

B :

Footing size equal to 150 mm

σ cj :

Unconfined compressive strength of rock mass

References

  1. Prakoso WA, Kulhawy FH (2004) Bearing capacity of strip footings on jointed rock masses. J Geotech Geoenvironmental Eng 130(12):1347–1349. https://doi.org/10.1061/(asce)1090-0241(2004)130:12(1347)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Standard I (1997) Shipbuilding—pyrotechnic signals for ships. Star 14270(February).

  3. Ramamurthy T, Arora VK (1994) Strength predictions for jointed rocks in confined and unconfined states. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 31(1):9–22. https://doi.org/10.1016/0148-9062(94)92311-6

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Meyerhof GG (1953) The bearing capacity of concrete and rock. Mag Concr Res 4(12):107–116. https://doi.org/10.1680/macr.1953.4.12.107

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Singh M, Rao KS (2005) Empirical methods to estimate the strength of jointed rock masses. Eng Geol 77(1–2):127–137. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2004.09.001

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Changyou L, Jingxuan Y, Bin Y (2017) Rock-breaking mechanism and experimental analysis of confined blasting of borehole surrounding rock. Int J Min Sci Technol 27(5):795–801. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijmst.2017.07.016

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Bindlish A, Singh M, Samadhiya NK (2012) An experimental study on ultimate bearing capacity of a foundation in anisotropic rock masses. J Rock Mech Tunn. Technol. Available: https://www.isrmtt.com/wp-content/pdf/vol-18-2012/jrmtt-18-2/bindlish.pdf

  8. Abdi Y, Momeni E, Khabir RR (2020) A reliable PSO-based ANN approach for predicting unconfined compressive strength of sandstones. Open Constr Build Technol J 14(1):237–249. https://doi.org/10.2174/1874836802014010237

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Hoek E (1983) Strength of jointed rock masses. Geotechnique 33(3):187–223. https://doi.org/10.1680/geot.1983.33.3.187

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Brady BT (1969) “Effect of the intermediate principal stress on rock failure. J Geophys Res 72(20):267–279

    Google Scholar 

  11. Singh TN, Singh VK (1999) Effect of confined and unconfined stress on jointed rocks. Indian J Eng Mater Sci 6(4):198–205

    Google Scholar 

  12. Benz T, Schwab R, Kauther RA, Vermeer PA (2008) A Hoek-Brown criterion with intrinsic material strength factorization. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 45(2):210–222. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrmms.2007.05.003

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Gibson WH (2006) Rock mass strength derived from rock mass characterization. Aust Geomech J 41(1):47–53

    Google Scholar 

  14. Bewick RP, Kaiser PK, Amann F (2019) Strength of massive to moderately jointed hard rock masses. J Rock Mech Geotech Eng 11(3):562–575. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrmge.2018.10.003

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Shukla DK, Singh M, Jain KK (2014) Variation in bearing capacity of footing on slopping anisotropic rock mass. Int J Res Eng Technol (IMPACT IJRET) 2(6):85–98, [Online]. Available: http://www.impactjournals.us/journals.php?id=77&jtype=2&page=15

  16. Munwar Basha B, Chandrakanth K, Moghal AAB (2015) Allowable bearing capacity of strip footings on jointed rock masses: a reliability based approach. In: International foundations congress and equipment expo, 17–21 March, 2015, San Antonio, Texas, USA. https://doi.org/10.1061/9780784479087.001.

  17. Singh M, Rao KS (2005) Bearing capacity of shallow foundations in anisotropic non-Hoek–Brown rock masses. J Geotech Geoenviron Eng 131(8):1014–1023. https://doi.org/10.1061/(asce)1090-0241(2005)131:8(1014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Adhikary DP, Mhlhaus HB, Dyskin AV (2001) A numerical study of flexural buckling of foliated rock slopes. Int J Numer Anal Methods Geomech 25(9):871–884. https://doi.org/10.1002/nag.157

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Wang W et al (2019) Experimental and numerical study on failure modes and shear strength parameters of rock-like specimens containing two infilled flaws. Int J Civ Eng 17(12):1895–1908. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40999-019-00449-8

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Li D, Armaghani DJ, Zhou J, Lai SH, Hasanipanah M (2020) A GMDH predictive model to predict rock material strength using three non-destructive tests. J Nondestruct Eval 39(4):1–14. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10921-020-00725-x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Majdi A, Rezaei M (2013) Prediction of unconfined compressive strength of rock surrounding a roadway using artificial neural network. Neural Comput Appl 23(2):381–389. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00521-012-0925-2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Asadi A (2017) Application of artificial neural networks in prediction of uniaxial compressive strength of rocks using well logs and drilling data. Procedia Eng 191:279–286. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.proeng.2017.05.182

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Tiwari RP, Rao KS (2006) Post failure behaviour of a rock mass under the influence of triaxial and true triaxial confinement. Eng Geol 84(3–4):112–129. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2006.01.001

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Tiwari RP, Rao KS (2004) Physical modeling of a rock mass under a true triaxial stress state. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 41(SUPPL. 1). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrmms.2004.03.073.

  25. Valley B, Kim BH, Suorineni FT, Bahrani N, Bewick RP, Kaiser PK (2012) Influence of confinement dependent failure processes on rock mass strength at depth. In: Harmon. Rock Eng. Environ. - Proc. 12th ISRM Int. Congr. Rock Mech., no. September, pp. 855–860. https://doi.org/10.1201/b11646-157.

  26. Daping Taia et al (2022) Shear mechanical properties and energy evolution of rock-like samples containing multiple combinations of non-persistent joints. J Rock Mech Geotech Eng [online]. https://doi.org/10.1016/jjrnage.2022.11.014

  27. Farahmand K, Vazaios I, Diederichs MS, Vlachopoulos N (2018) Investigating the scale-dependency of the geometrical and mechanical properties of a moderately jointed rock using a synthetic rock mass (SRM) approach. Comput Geotech 95(September):162–179. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compgeo.2017.10.002

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Vazaios I, Farahmand K, Vlachopoulos N, Diederichs MS (2018) Effects of confinement on rock mass modulus: a synthetic rock mass modelling (SRM) study. J Rock Mech Geotech Eng 10(3):436–456. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrmge.2018.01.002

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Singh M, Rao KS, Ramamurthy T (2002) Strength and deformational behaviour of a jointed rock mass. Rock Mech Rock Eng 35(1):45–64. https://doi.org/10.1007/s006030200008

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  30. Wang J et al (2022) Multi-dimensional size effects and representative elements for non-persistent fractured rock masses—a perspective of geometric parameter distribution. J Rock Mech Geotech Eng [Online]. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrmge.2022.11.010

  31. Rafiai H (2011) New empirical polyaxial criterion for rock strength. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 48(6):922–931. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrmms.2011.06.014

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Rafiai H, Jafari A (2011) Artificial neural networks as a basis for new generation of rock failure criteria. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 48(7):1153–1159. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrmms.2011.06.001

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Singh M, Raj A, Singh B (2011) Modified Mohr-Coulomb criterion for non-linear triaxial and polyaxial strength of intact rocks. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 48(4):546–555. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrmms.2011.02.004

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  34. Singh M, Samadhiya NK, Kumar A, Kumar V, Singh B (2015) A nonlinear criterion for triaxial strength of inherently anisotropic rocks. Rock Mech Rock Eng 48(4):1387–1405. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-015-0708-z

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  35. Rafiei Renani H, Martin CD, Cai M (2019) An analytical model for strength of jointed rock masses. Tunn Undergr Sp Technol 94(July). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tust.2019.103159.

  36. IS: 9221-1979, “Method for determination of modulus of elasticity and poisson’s ratio of rock materials in uniaxial compression. Indian Stand., 1979.

  37. IS:10082-1981, “Method of test for determination of tensile strength by indirect tests on rock specimens. Indian Stand., 1981.

  38. IS:13030-1991, “Method of test for laboratory determination of water content, porosity, densltyand related properties of rock material. Indian Stand., 1991.

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors appreciate the technical assistance provided by the faculty and personnel of the Department of Civil Engineering at Jaypee University of Engineering and Technology, Guna.

Funding

This study received no specific financing from governmental, private, or non-profit funding bodies.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil Engineering, Jaypee University of Engineering and Technology, Guna, India

    Shrinarayan Yadav & Dharmendra Kumar Shukla

Authors
  1. Shrinarayan Yadav
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Dharmendra Kumar Shukla
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Shrinarayan Yadav.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Yadav, S., Shukla, D.K. Strength of Rock Mass Near the Crown With Inconsistent Slope Angle. Indian Geotech J (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40098-024-00872-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40098-024-00872-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation