Geology deals with

physical, chemical
and mineralogical
characteristics of
rocks.
Engineering deals
with the mechanics
of rocks and other
earth materials.
Eg. The response
of materials to
applied load
ENGINEERING PROPERTIES OF ROCKS
Illustrated By Sabariah 2009
Rocks as Earth Materials
Solid and aggregates of mineral grain
Igneous: Interlocking minerals from
crystallization of magma
Metamorphic: Re-crystallization of an
existing rock
The strength depends on the degree of
interlocking
Sedimentary:
~Chemical precipitation (interlocking
aggregate of minerals)
~Clastic (particle from pre-existing
rocks), cemented
Illustrated By Sabariah 2009
Porosity and Void Ratio
Illustrated By Sabariah 2009
Illustrated By Sabariah 2009
Properties of Porous Rock
for Fluid to Flow
1. Permeability: Indicates degree of
interconnection of voids
2. Intrinsic permeability, k : measured in
darcys or cm
2
3. Hydraulic conductivity, K, (m/s) :
K =
k
g

Illustrated By Sabariah 2009

1. Range of Values of Intrinsic
Permeability and Hydraulic
Conductivity
2. Mechanical Properties of Rock
and Other Materials
Illustrated By Sabariah 2009
The vertical
stress acting on
shallow
horizontal
planes in the
earth is the sum
of the unit
weight of the
material times
the depth (h)
and the
atmospheric
pressure (P
a
)
Illustrated By Sabariah 2009
Vertical stress
beneath a
sequence of
layers is the
sum of the unit
weight of each
layer times its
thickness
Atmospheric
pressure is
neglected.
Illustrated By Sabariah 2009
Question
Calculate the vertical stress at a
depth of 8m at a location where a
5m bed of sandstone with a unit
weight of 25 kN/m
3
overlies a
thick shale unit with a unit
weight of 27.5 kN/m
3
Illustrated By Sabariah 2009
Solution
Illustrated By Sabariah 2009
Shear Stress
To calculate shear stress use Oho Mohr (1835-
1918) graphical method.

Principal
Stress
Minimum
Stress
Below ground,
Min = Intermediate
Illustrated By Sabariah 2009
Mohrs Circle
Illustrated By Sabariah 2009
To Plot Mohrs Circle:
1.
1
and
3
are plotted on horizontal axis.
These two points represent normal
stress
2. Note: ~the circle of radius is
~shear stress on any plane is
represented by the circle at
angle from the principle
plane measured from
3

1
-
2
2
Illustrated By Sabariah 2009
General equations for shear and normal
stress derived from Mohrs circle
Illustrated By Sabariah 2009
Question
Determine the normal and shear
stresses on a plane incline at 45
to the principal plane if the
vertical and horizontal principal
stresses are 144 kN/m
2
and 36
kN/m
2
respectively.
Illustrated By Sabariah 2009
Illustrated By Sabariah 2009
Behavior of Rocks under
Stress
Rock may deform under stress
The amount of deformation is called
strain
In strain depends on , T
How much rocks can deform under
the loads of applied engineering
structures?
Illustrated By Sabariah 2009
Review on Important
Definition
Rocks my behave
~Brittle or Ductile
S
t
r
e
s
s
S
t
r
e
s
s
Strain Strain
Brittle
Ductile
Illustrated By Sabariah 2009
Testing a Rock Sample
E is called modulus of elasticity
E is measured by the slope of segment 2
1
2
3
Point of Failure
Slope, E =
Stress
Strain
Illustrated By Sabariah 2009
Rock Properties
Important properties for
engineering material
1. Density
2. Strength
3. Compressibility
4. Durability
Illustrated By Sabariah 2009
Determination of Specific
Gravity
1. Weigh in air (A) after drying for 24
hours in oven
2. Weigh in air, saturated surface
dried (B)
3. Weigh in water (C)
Illustrated By Sabariah 2009
SG x % Adsorption
SpG =
Mass of Rock in air
Mass of Equal Volume
of Water
= W
a
W
a
- W
b
% adsorption =
B A X 100
A
Illustrated By Sabariah 2009
Rock Strength
Rock can be subjected to three type
of stress:
~compressive, shear and tensile
Shear
Stress
Illustrated By Sabariah 2009
Compressive Strength
The compressive strength is the
compressive stress required to break the
rock specimen
It ranges 1000 kPa to 280,000 kPa
The unit is psi or N/m
2
,
1psi=6.895 kN/m
2
= 6.895 kPa
Rocks strength
= /A
=failure load, A=cross-sectional area
Illustrated By Sabariah 2009
Question
A rock core of limestone is 3 in. in
diameter and 6 in. long. It was loaded
to failure in a confine testing
machine. If the failure load was 62150
lb, what is the unconfined
compression strength of the
sample?