Section 3: Field

Description of Rock
Mass in Engineering
Practice.
Practical 4: Systematic
Description of Rocks and
Rock Discontinuity.

Introduction
Rock Mass should be described first
as a rock material, and its includes:
Colour.
Texture + grain size.
Structure (fabric).
Weathering state.
Rock group name and specific geological
name.
Engineering properties + strength.

Introduction (cont)
The shear strength of a rock mass
and its deformability are very much
influence by discontinuity pattern, it
geometry and how it is developed.
Important factor in rock stability:
Number of set of discontinuities which
intersect.
Number of set also effect the degree of
overbreak.

Introduction (cont.)
The description of jointed rock
masses base on:
Incidence of discontinuity.
Geometry of discontinuity.
Surface of discontinuity.
Flow of water in discontinuity.

Discontinuities
Discontinuities are fracture and plane
of weakness in the rock mass.
Tensile strength reaches minimum
value across discontinuities.
Joint frequently appear as parallel
sets of joint planes (called joint set).
Single faults may be encountered in
a rock mass, but seldom more than
one.

Discontinuities (cont)
The data needs for each
discontinuity:
Continuous or not.
Spacing (Table 4.1 pg 83)
Nature of discontinuity.
Attitude of discontinuity (horizontal,
vertical, inclined).

Discontinuities (cont)

Discontinuities (cont)

Discontinuities (cont)
Terminology:
Type of discontinuity:
Fault, vein, joint, fracture, cleavages,
bedding plane, etc.

Number of discontinuity set.

Location and orientation scan line +
strike & dip.
Spacing between adjacent
discontinuities.
Aperture of discontinuity surfaces (Table
4.2 pg 84)

Discontinuities (cont)
Terminology (cont):
Persistence or the extent continuous or not.
Nature of discontinuity surface Table 4.3 pg
84.
Discontinuity spacing in 3-D Table 4.4 pg 85
and Figure 4.4 pg 86.
Blocky
Tabular
Columnar

Weathered and alteration conditions Table

4.5 pg 86.
Weathering grade I, II, III, IV, V or VI.

Discontinuities (cont)

Discontinuity Survey
2 types of Discontinuity Survey: Direct and
Drill holes.
Direct
Discontinuity
Survey Using Scan
Line

Streographic
Representation

Pic: University of Maryland, Department of Geology

of Kajang Housing Development area: Ehsan from SEADPRI UKM

Failure:
Plane failure:
1 plane failure occur at the discontinuity line of______
outside the slope face in the direction of _____N
Wedge failure:
1 wedge failure occur at the intersection of 2
discontinuity line of line _______and line _______ outside
the slope face in the direction of ________N.
Toppling failure:
1 toppling failure occur at the discontinuity line of
_________ inside the slope face in the direction of
_______N.

Streographic
Representation (cont..)
Draw the streonet: (Try exercise 4.2 pg 105)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Draw the circle.

Indicate the north pole.
Draw the slope face: given 358o/45o.
Mark the strike / facing direction = 358 o.
Rotate the tracing paper:
If direction 180o, rotate it to west position (270 o).
If direction 180o, rotate it to east position (90o).

6. Count from outside into inside: for angle 45 o.

7. Draw the line from 0o to 180o along that side,
using solid line.
8. Rotate the tracing paper back to datum: North.

Streographic
Representation (cont..)
9. Draw the discontinuity data set: given 87o/80o.
10.Mark the strike / dip direction = 87o.
11.Rotate the tracing paper:
If direction 180o, rotate it to west position (270 o).
If direction 180o, rotate it to east position (90 o).

12.Count from outside into inside: for angle 80o.

13.Draw the line from 0o to 180o along that side,
using discontinuous line.
14.Rotate the tracing paper back to datum: North.
15.Repeat procedure 9 to 14 for the rest.

Streographic
Representation (cont..)
Points to remember:
Never write on the projection itself;
always write on the tracing paper.
Use pencil, not pen.
Make notes on the tracing paper as
you go.
When rotating, always use the
normal to plane.

Exercise 1: Slope Stability

Slope Face = 162/68. Please identify the
possible failure.
Discontinuity readings are:
162/58

68/86

322/69

123/57

300/56

98/76

106/80

126/54

93/72

183/74

216/48

16/62

100/57

64/70

78/56

93/56

165/65

81/56

284/28

108/58

144/72

182/74

162/60

337/87

154/88

176/84

264/82

178/68

274/32

128/38

THANK YOU