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SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR TUNNELING: RMR

QUESTION

A tunnel is constructed and driven through moderately weathered basalt with a dominant joint
set dipping at 50 with the direction of the tunnel drive. The discontinuities strike
perpendicular to the tunnel axis. Based on the point load test, the rock strength is 12 MPa.
The joints are rough and average length of joint is 14 m with a separation between 0.2 mm to
0.8 mm, without infilling materials and spacing between joints is 50 mm. Groundwater of
tunneling condition are anticipated to be flow. By using the RQD value obtained from Q2 (b),
calculate the Rock Mass Rating (RMR) value base on the value given in Table 1.

ANSWER

Based on previous question RQD was calculated to be = 80.02%

No Table Item Value Rating (Read from table)

1 1A Point load index 12 Mpa 15
2 2A RQD (Calculated previously) 80.02 % 17
3 3A Spacing of discontinuities 50 mm 5
4 Note 1 Condition of discontinuities Note 1 Note 1 (19)
5 5A Groundwater Flow 0
6 Note 2 Adjustment for joint Note 2 Note 2
orientation
Total 37 (tanpa note 1 & 2)

Note 1 (Table 9.1.E):

No Item Value Rating

1 Discontinuity length 14 mm 1
(persistence)
2 Separation (apature) 0.2 0.8 mm 4
3 Roughness Rough 5
4 Infilling (gauge) None 6
5 Weathering Moderately weathered 3
Total 19

Note 2. Table 9.1.F gives a description of Very favorable for the conditions assumed where
the tunnel is to be driven with the dip of a set of joints dipping at 50o. Using this description for
Tunnels and Mines in Table 9.1.B gives an adjustment rating of 0.

Total = 37 + 19 0
RMR = 56 (III = Fair Rock)

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Table 1 : Rock Mass Rating System (After Bieniawski, 1989)

A. CLASSIFICATION PARAMETERS AND THEIR RATINGS

Parameter Ranges of values

For this low range-uniaxial

>10MPa 4-10MPa 2-4MPa 1-2MPa
Point-load compressive test is preferred
strength index
1 Strength of Uniaxial
intact rock 1-
Compression >250MPa 100-250MPa 50-100MPa 25-50MPa 5-25MPa <1MPa
material 5MPa
strength

Rating 15 12 7 4 2 1 0

Drill core Quality RQD 90%-100% 75%-90% 50%-75% 25%-50% <25%

2
Rating 20 17 13 8 3

Spacing of discontinuities >2mm 0.6-2mm 200-600mm 60-200mm <60mm

3
Rating 20 15 10 8 5

Soft gouge>5 mm thick or

Very rough surfaces. Slightly rough Slickensided
Slightly rough Separtion>5mm continous.
Not continous. No surfaces. surfaces or
surfaces. Separtion <
4 Condition of discontinuities (See separation. Separation <1mm. Gouge<5 mm
1 mm. Highly
E) Unweathered wall Slightly weathered thick or Separtion
weathered walls.
rock. walls. 1-5 mm continous.

Rating 30 25 20 10 0
Inflow per 10 m
tunnel length None <10m 10-25 25-125 >125
(l/m)

Groundwater (Joint water

5 press)/ (Major 0 <0.1 0.1-0.2 0.2-0.5 >0.5
principal)
General
conditions Completely dry Damp Wet Dripping Flowing
Rating 15 10 7 4 0
B. RATING ADJUSTMENT FOR DISCONTINUITIY ORIENTATION (SEE F)
Strike and dip orientations Very favourable Favourable Fair Unfavorable Very Unfavorable
Tunnels and mines 0 -2 -5 -10 -12
Rating Foundations 0 -2 -7 -15 -25
Slopes 0 -5 -25 -50 0
C. ROCK MASS CLASSES
Rating 100-81 80-61 60-41 40-21 <21
Class number I II III IV V
Description Very good rock Good rock Fair rock Poor rock Very poor rock
D. MEANING ROCK CLASSES
Class number I II III IV V

20 years for 15 m 1 year for 10 m 10 hours for 2.5 m

Average stand-up time 1 week for 5 m span 30 minutes for 1 m span
span. span. span

Cohesion of rock mass (kPa) >400 300-400 200-300 100-200 <100

Friction angle of rock mass (degree) >45 35-45 25-35 15-25 <15
E. GUIDELINES FOR CLASSIFICATION OF DISCONTINUITY CONDITIONS * (1) IS RATING
<1m 1-3m 3-10m 10-20m >20 m
Discontinuity length (persistence) 6 4 2 1 0
None <0.1mm 0.1-1.0 mm 1-5 mm >5 mm
Separation (aperture) 6 5 4 1 0
Very rough Rough Slightly rough Smooth Slickensided
Roughness 6 5 3 1 0
None Hard filling <5mm Hard filling >5mm Soft filling<2 mm Soft filling 5mm
Infilling (gouge) 6 4 2 2 0
Unweathered Slightly weathered Moderately weathered Highly weathered Decomposed
Weathering 6 5 3 1 0
F. EFFECT OF DISCONTINUITY STRIKE AND DIP ORIENTATION IN TUNNELING
Strike perpendicular to tunnel axis Strike parallel to tunnel axis
Drive with dip- 45o-90o Drive with dip- 20o-45o Dip 45o-90o Dip 20o-45o
Very favourable Favourable Very unfavourable Fair
Drive against dip- 45o-90o Drive against dip-20o-45o Dip 0o-20o Irrespective of strike
Fair Unfavourable Fair

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Figure 9.10 Tunnel drive with dip and drive against dip

Table 6 : Guidelines for excavation and support of 10 m span rock tunnels in accordance with
the RMR system (After Bieniawski, 1989)

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SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR TUNNELING: Q

QUESTION:

A crusher chamber for an underground mine is to be excavated at a depth of 2100 m below

surface. The rock mass contains two joint sets plus random controlling stability. These joints
are rough, planar and rock wall contact was silty or sandy clay coatings with small clay
fraction. Laboratory test on core samples of intact rock give an average uniaxial compressive
strength of 90 MPa. The principal stress are approximately vertical and horizontal and the
magnitude of the horizontal principal stress is approximately 1.5 times that of the vertical
principal stress. The rock mass is locally damp with medium inflow. By using the RQD value
obtained from Q2 (a), calculate Q based on data given in Table 1.

ANSWER:

Q = RQD x Jr x Jw
Jn Ja SRF

No Item Value Rating/Value

1 RQD (calculated previously) 46.154 MPa 46.154
2 Joint Sets Number, Jn 2 + Random 6
3 Joint Roughness Number, Jr Rough or 1.5
irregular,
planar
4 Joint Alteration Number, Ja Silty-or sandy- 3.0
clay coatings,
small clay-
fraction
(nonsoftening)
5 Joint Water Reduction Factor, Medium 0.66
Jw Inflow
6 Major Principle Stress (90 x 1.5) - 90 45
7 Ratio s1/s2 90/45 2.0
8 Stress Reduction Factor, SRF 2.0 (Heavy 10 20
rock burst) = 15 (Assume
average)

Q = RQD x Jr x Jw
Jn Ja SRF

= 46.154 x 1.5 x 0.66

6 3.0 15
= 0.169

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QUESTION:

Evaluate the reinforcement category if the crusher station span was given in 15 m and falls
into the category of permanent mine openings based on the Q value obtained previously, Table
1 and Figure Q4 (c).

ANSWER

ESR = 1.6

De = Excavation span, diameter or height (m)/Excavation support ratio (ESR)

= 15/1.6 = 9.4

Q = 0.127

Hence = Category 7

Category 7 = Fibre Reinforced Shotcrete and Bolting, 12 15 cm

Table 1

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4 cm 5 cm)

Figure Q4 (c) Estimated support categories based on the tunneling quality index, Q (After
Grimstad and Barton, 1993, reproduced from Palmstrom and Broch, 2006)

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