Engineering rock mechanics

An introduction to the principles 

Preface of the Book

With the title Engineering Rock Mechanics, what is this book about? It is about the discipline, based on mechanics, which is used to design structures built on or in rock masses. These structures, which encompass building foundations, dams, rock slopes, tunnel, caverns, hydroelectric schemes, mines, etc., depend critically on the rock mass properties and the interaction between the rock mass and the engineered structure. As a result, the distinct discipline of engineering rock mechanics has developed. The term ’rock mechanics’ refers to the basic science of mechanics applied to rocks; whilst the term ’rock engineering’ refers to any engineering activity involving rocks.

 Thus, the term ’engineering rock mechanics’ refers to the use of rock mechanics in rock engineering-within the context of civil, mining and petroleum engineering. Because rock mechanics can also be used to study structural geology, we emphasize through the title that it is the rock mechanics principles in the engineering context that we are presenting. The book is based on the content of the integrated engineering rock mechanics course given at Imperial College and on the authors’ engineering experience. 

Chapters 1-13 cover rock mechanics, Chapter 14 discusses the principles of rock engineering systems, and Chapters 15-20 cover major applications in rock engineering. The philosophy of the presentation is to provide comprehension of all the subjects discussed. In all aspects, and particularly in the mathematics, we have included some physical explanations of the meaning behind the relations. Also, our philosophy is that although rock mechanics and the associated principles are a science, their application is an art. To paint a good picture, one must know the basic techniques. Knowing these techniques will not necessarily make a good painter, but it will optimize everyone’s attempts. Thus, the book is intended to be an understandable ’across-the-board source of information for the benefit of anyone involved in rock mechanics and rock engineering: students, teachers, researchers, clients, consulting engineers and contractors. 

It will be of particular use in the civil, mining and petroleum subject areas: the objectives of the engineering may be different but the principles are the same. We hope that everyone reading this book not only has a chance to experience the science and art of the subject, but also the romance. Rock engineering occurs deep in the earth, high in the mountains and often in the worlds wildest places. We engineer with rocks as we create structures, extract the primary raw materials for mankind and harness the forces of nature. It is the romance and the passion associated with rock engineering that has led us to communicate some of this excitement. ’Personal experience’ is everything. So, we hope that you will have the opportunity to experience at first hand some of the principles and applications described in the book. 

Lecture notes prepared by the authors for undergraduate and postgraduate students at Imperial College were the basis for the book. Some of the material, especially that of a fundamental nature, is partially based on earlier lecture notes prepared by our predecessors in the rock mechanics section at the college. We acknowledge this general debt with thanks and appreciation. We are also grateful to all our students and recent colleagues at Imperial College who have suggested improvements to the text during the pre-publication ‘field-testing’ period over the last few years. Finally, we thank Carol and Miles Hudson and Gwen Hamson for painstakingly correcting and compiling the penultimate version. The final text is, of course, our responsibility: if there is anything in the following pages that you do not understand, it is our fault. 

J. A. Hudson and J. P. Hamson Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine University of London

Download 

Engineering rock mechanics