One of the greatest breakthroughs in soil mechanics was the development of Critical State Soil Mechanics (CSSM) in the 1950s and 1960s and the derivation of a continuum elasto-plastic constitutive model, namely Cam clay, which was the foundation for other continuum models for clays, and much later for sands. However, as yet there has been no micro mechanical analysis which explains the existence of such continuum models; such a micro perspective must take into account the discontinuous nature of soil. Without such insight, the engineer cannot understand which micro parameters affect soil behaviour. This work uses the discrete element method (DEM) to model a silica sand as a sample of discrete particles, with properties which have been calibrated against experimental data in previous work, to build up a micro mechanical picture of the behaviour of sand under different loading conditions. The simplest of loading conditions is the one dimensional or oedometer test and has been modelled to check whether this agrees with previously published research. The simulated sample has then been subjected to isotropic compression to establish a normal compression line in log voids ratio – log stress space, and which turns out to be parallel to the one-dimensional normal compression line, in agreement with CSSM. The evolution of the isotropic normal compression line is due to local shear stresses within the sample, and the origin of the existence of both lines lies in the evolution of a fractal distribution of particles with a fractal dimension of 2.5. The effect of boundary particles has then been minimised by choosing an appropriate aspect ratio and a smaller number of particles in the sample to give a computational time which is acceptable for subsequent shearing to critical states. Isotropically normally compressed samples have been unloaded to different stress levels and sheared to critical states. A unique critical state line (CSL) exists at high stress levels, which is parallel to the normal compression lines, in agreement with CSSM. At low stress levels, the CSL is not linear and is non-unique; that is to say it is a function of preconsolidation pressure because the fractal distribution of sizes has not fully evolved. Samples sheared on the dense side of critical dilate and have a peak strength whilst loose samples exhibit ductile contraction, in agreement with CSSM. At a critical state, the work shows that crushing continues in the formation of ‘fines’, small particles with smaller than 0.1mm dimensions, which plays no part in the mechanical behaviour, which is reflected in the average mechanical co-ordination number and which means that plastic hardening can be assumed to have ceased at a critical state. For the isotropically overconsolidated samples sheared to critical states, a number of different definitions of yield have been used to establish a yield surface in stress space. The work shows that a previously published yield surface for sand (Yu, 1998; McDowell, 2002) gives a good representation of the behaviour, and it has therefore been shown that the sample of discrete particles has been shown to give rise to observed continuum behaviour. The work is, to the author’s knowledge, the first that has shown a DEM soil to show many of the desirable features of sand, in that the sample qualitatively gives normal compression lines and a CSL of the correct slope, which obeys CSSM and which gives a Cam Clay type yield surface in stress space. The work means that the established model can be used in the study of other micro mechanics problems such as particle shape and time effects and the application of DEM to boundary value problems directly.

Current needs for infrastructure and services in urban areas often require the construction of tunnels that may affect existing surface and buried structures. In general, the construction of new tunnels in the proximity of deep foundations raises concerns related to pile failure and associated structural damage (in both the superstructure and the foundation). Despite its practical importance, few studies have investigated the global tunnel-pile-structure interaction (TPSI) and, thus, engineers generally compensate for the lack of understanding with an overly conservative design approach. To provide insights into the interaction mechanisms of TPSI, this research used geotechnical centrifuge testing as the main investigation method to acquire data related to both greenfield tunnelling in sands and tunnel excavations beneath piles and piled buildings. In particular, a novel method was developed to study TPSI problems through the real-time coupling of numerical and centrifuge modelling, enhancing centrifuge modelling capabilities. Furthermore, empirical and closed-form solutions were used to study the tunnelling-induced displacement fields and simplified elastic analyses were used to provide insights into the global TPSI mechanisms. Results from the greenfield tests illustrate that ground movement prediction in sands is very complex because of soil arching effects and changes that occur as tunnels transition from relatively shallow to deep depths, resulting in highly non-linear displacement mechanisms. Results also illustrate the correlation between vertical and horizontal displacement mechanisms. In particular, the influence of soil relative density and volume loss on deformation patterns is highly dependent on the tunnel relative depth. To provide simple tools for engineering practice, empirical and closed-form solutions are proposed. Predicted ground movements provide sufficient accuracy for preliminary assessments, though limitations of these methods should be considered. The centrifuge tests on TPSI provide experimental evidence that tunnelling-induced pile displacements are affected by [i] pile installation method (displacement versus non-displacement piles), which affects the pre-tunnelling soil state and the distribution of loads between pile shaft and base, [ii] initial safety factor of the pile foundation, which is related to pile bearing capacity and superstructure self-weight, and [iii] superstructure stiffness and configuration, which results in pile load redistribution while minimising structural distortions. In addition, results show that potential for pile failure is a critical aspect for piles with relatively low initial safety factors and that pile failure may be prevented by a limited relative reduction in the pile load due to the superstructure. Finally, the importance of superstructure stiffness and self-weight on tunnelling-induced structural distortions is confirmed. Piled buildings respond critically to tunnelling beneath the pile tip depth in terms of flexural deformations. In general, it is shown that [iv] piles increase structural distortions compared to shallow foundations and that [v] the superstructure stiffness and self-weight decrease and increase the superstructure distortions resulting from tunnelling, respectively. Results are also evaluated within the modification factor approach; parametric analyses of elastic soil-pile-structure interaction are used to develop simple design charts that can be used to estimate horizontal strains and deflection ratio modification factors based on newly defined relative axial and bending stiffness parameters. The envelopes compare well with deflection ratio modification factors measured from centrifuge tests. Further research is needed to include the effects of soil plasticity, building self-weight, superstructure configuration and tunnel-structure eccentricity in these design charts. This dissertation highlights the improvements in the design of underground constructions that can be achieved by combining ground and structural engineering.

As one of the most versatile and reliable in-situ devices, cone penetrometers have been extensively used in soil exploration (e.g. soil classification, soil profiling, back-calculation of soil properties etc.) both experimentally and theoretically over the past 80 years. To improve its site accessibility, reduce the required sample size with minimal boundary effects, or model soil penetration by plant roots or earthworms, cone penetrometers with various sizes are often employed both in the field and laboratory. Consequently, size-dependent performance may appear, and this is one of the subjects of this research. A series of cone penetration tests with three sized cone penetrometer (12mm, 6mm, 3mm) on the Leighton Buzzard sand with two fractions (E and C) was performed at the 1g condition. Evident size effects were observed both in the cone tip resistance and shaft friction. To account for the observed size-dependent behaviour, theoretical methods based on the cavity expansion theory were developed in addition to the available experimental findings. Firstly, a size-dependent quasi-static cavity expansion solution was developed by improving the conventional cavity expansion theory incorporating with a strain gradient theory of plasticity. A stiffer response is modelled for a smaller cylindrical/ spherical cavity with this solution. Based on the analogy of cone penetration and quasi-static cavity expansion, the developed size-dependent expansion solution for spherical cavities was employed to quantify the size effect in the cone tip resistance, and fair good agreements were achieved between the theoretical prediction and experimental results. Subsequently, the scale effect observed in shaft friction resistance was explained in terms of the interface frictional strength and mobilised lateral soil stress. The size-dependent interface frictional strength was discussed based on the available experimental data of other researchers, and an improved solution based on the elastic cylindrical cavity expansion solution was derived to quantify the size dependency of the mobilised lateral stress on the shaft. In the light of above discussions, dominating factors influencing the size-dependent behaviours in the cone penetration test are summarised. The other objective of the present research was to model the mechanical interaction between a growing root tip and the surrounding soil. Two elastic solutions for computing the stress and displacement fields around a displacement-controlled ellipse were developed based on the complex variable theory of elasticity and Fourier series method. By assuming the axial cross section of a root tip as a half-ellipse, the two-dimensional soil response to a short-term growing root tip was discussed with the derived elastic solutions. Benefits of radial swelling of the root tip to its axial penetration were summarised, and an approximate analytical method to estimate the soil resistance mobilised by a short-term root growth was suggested and employed in the present root tip-soil interaction analyses. In addition, influences of the additional shear stress in the process of static and quasi-static cavity expansion were analysed with an elastic-perfectly-plastic model. For Tresca materials, a non-equal initial stress field was considered in the static stress solution, and a quasi-static expansion solution was then derived for a cavity deforming in a hydrostatic stress field considering the material compressibility. The static stress solution is capable of calculating the stress redistribution around a circular rotating probe, and the large-strain quasi-static solution may be useful in theoretical predictions of the tip resistance of a rotating penetrometer (or pile) which has been often utilised in needle cone penetration tests for modelling the root tip elongation. Then the introduced methods in above solutions were applied to the static stress analysis of a circular cavity surrounded by the Mohr-Coulomb material under a non-equal stress field. Based on the conformal mapping function proposed by Detournay and Fairhurst (1987), both a loading and unloading analysis were carried out with the derived analytical solution. It can provide a simple method to predict the plastic failure zone and calculate the stress redistribution around a circular excavation (e.g. tunnel, pipeline) either under loading or unloading.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:26:11Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2003-04-25Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:33:58Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 maia_mso_me_rcla.pdf: 2213372 bytes, checksum: 66c98972c27a86921f43056d7c86a3cc (MD5) / As características geotécnicas do solo, na maioria dos casos, não são consideradas nas intervenções feitas na estrutura urbana, pôr conseguinte também não as são nas expansões urbanas. Como conseqüência disso, verificam-se freqüentemente problemas como movimentos de massa, inundações, assoreamento de rios e igarapés, e erosões. O mapeamento geotécnico surge então como uma ferramenta indispensável para auxiliar o planejamento das intervenções necessárias para acompanhar o rápido crescimento urbano. Na obtenção do zoneamento geotécnico de uso geral, através da utilização do Sensoriamento Remoto, de nossa área de estudo-Sítio urbano do Município de Rio Branco/Ac e seus arredores, foram desenvolvidas três etapas. A primeira etapa consistiu na realização da compartimentação fisiográfica da área com base na análise de elementos texturais de relevo e drenagem e de suas estruturas em imagens fotográficas, obtendo-se assim as unidades básicas de compartimentação (UBC's). Na segunda etapa, estas unidades foram caracterizadas em função de cinco fatores geotécnicos (alterabilidade, permeabilidade, declividade, tipo do material do manto de alteração e espessura do manto de alteração) considerados básicos para subsidiar a avaliação das unidades quanto ao seu potencial de uso. Na terceira etapa as unidades básicas de compartimentação são classificadas quanto ao grau relativo de aptidões /restrições para fins de expansão urbana. / Geotechnical characteristics of the soil are rarely taken into consideration when interventions are made in the urban structure, nor, consequently, in urban expansions. As a consequence, there are often problems with landslides, floods, silt accumulation in rivers and sand bars and erosion. Geotechnical mapping has emerged as an indispensable tool to help plan the interventions needed to keep up with rapid urban growth. In this study, three stages were developed to obtain geotechnical zoning for general use in the study area, urban area of the Municipality of Rio Branco, in the state of Acre, using remote sensing. The first stage involved carrying out physiographic subdivision of the area based on analysis of textural elements of the relief and drainage system, and of their structures in photographic images, thus obtaining basic units of sub-division . In the second stage, these units were characterized according to five geotechnical factors (alterability, permeability, slope, type of material of the mantle of alteration, and thickness of the mantle of alteration) considered to be basic for the evaluation of the units with respect to their potential use. In the third stage, the basic units of sub-division were classified according to their relative degree of suitability/restrictions for urban expansion.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-07-13T12:10:29Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2014-08-29. Added 1 bitstream(s) on 2015-07-13T12:24:12Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 000836425_20180318.pdf: 302119 bytes, checksum: 884e33a7eff6f6538f9d09592eb55634 (MD5) Bitstreams deleted on 2018-03-23T14:17:27Z: 000836425_20180318.pdf,. Added 1 bitstream(s) on 2018-03-23T14:18:12Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 000836425.pdf: 1693868 bytes, checksum: f9f42c391dd2ffdabbcea05c83aef47f (MD5) / O Penetrômetro Dinâmico Leve, conhecido por DPL (Dynamic Probing Light) é um equipamento portátil de sondagem geotécnica e surgiu como uma alternativa para auxiliar o ensaio SPT (Standard Penetration Test). Este é hoje um dos equipamentos de sondagem mais utilizados no mundo. Embora o DPL tenha potencial para substituir o SPT nos ensaios em solos com baixa resistência à penetração, onde o N NSP <5. Na prática é ainda pouco conhecido na área da engenharia, com aplicação de pouco destaque nas obras da construção civil. A proposta deste trabalho é instrumentar um DPL com sistema eletrônico que possa em ensaio dinâmico, medir a resistência do solo à penetração. Essa medida se deve ao trabalho da energia efetiva que impulsiona o cone do equipamento para baixo cravando-o no solo. Constatou-se que o sistema eletrônico implantado no equipamento ficou mais barato que o seu similar, os resultados dos ensaios foram gerados em menor espaço de tempo, podem ser utilizados como dados de projetos de fundações. Os sinais de força e velocidade foram produzidos nas células de carga e acelerômetro. Para obtenção desses resultados, o sistema indicou automaticamente a penetração do cone no solo, motivada pela energia envolvida no processo, que por sua vez, é resultado da integração do produto da força atuante e da velocidade das partículas (no domínio do tempo). O objetivo do trabalho foi alcançado, visto que, a instrumentação do DPL, com um sistema eletrônico, possibilitou avaliar a resistência do solo à penetração. Constatou-se que essa medida está condicionada à qualidade do sinal de força e aceleração. Esta por sua vez depende de fatores como: qualidade técnica dos sensores de deformação, construção da célula de carga, qualidade do adesivo e corretos procedimentos nos ajustes e nos ensaios com o equipamento DPL instrumentado / The Dynamic Penetrometer Lightweight, known as, Dynamic Probing Light (DPL) is a portable geotechnical survey device, which came out, as an alternative tool to assist the Standard Penetration Test (SPT). Currently, it is one of the most used equipment all over the world. Although, the DPL has the potential for replacing the SPT in testing on soils with low penetration resistance, where the NNSP <5, it has not been known in the engineering field, applying little attention in the civil construction works. The purpose of this study is to instrument a DPL with electronics system intended to measure soil penetration resistance in dynamic test. This measure is due to the work of the effective energy that drives down the cone of the equipment, nailing it on the ground. It was found that the electronic system implemented in the equipment was cheaper than its similar, the results of the tests were generated in a shorter time and these findings can be used as data for foundation projects. The force and speed signals were produced on the load cells and accelerometer. In order to obtain these results, the system automatically indicated the penetration of the cone into the soil, caused by the energy involved in the process, which in turn, results from the integration of the active power output and speed of the particles (in the time domain). The objective of the study was reached, since the instrumentation of the DPL with an electronic system, enabled to evaluate the soil penetration resistance. It was found that this measure is subject to the quality of the force and the acceleration signal. This, in turn, depends on factors such as technical quality of strain sensors, load cell construction, quality of the adhesive and correct procedures on the adjustments, as well as, on the tests with the DPL instrumented equipment

Orientador: Alexandre César Rodrigues da Silva / Banca: Aparecido Augusto de Carvalho / Banca: Carlos Antonio Alves / Banca: José Antonio Lambert / Banca: Erinaldo Hilario Cavalcante / Resumo: O Penetrômetro Dinâmico Leve, conhecido por DPL (Dynamic Probing Light) é um equipamento portátil de sondagem geotécnica e surgiu como uma alternativa para auxiliar o ensaio SPT (Standard Penetration Test). Este é hoje um dos equipamentos de sondagem mais utilizados no mundo. Embora o DPL tenha potencial para substituir o SPT nos ensaios em solos com baixa resistência à penetração, onde o N NSP <5. Na prática é ainda pouco conhecido na área da engenharia, com aplicação de pouco destaque nas obras da construção civil. A proposta deste trabalho é instrumentar um DPL com sistema eletrônico que possa em ensaio dinâmico, medir a resistência do solo à penetração. Essa medida se deve ao trabalho da energia efetiva que impulsiona o cone do equipamento para baixo cravando-o no solo. Constatou-se que o sistema eletrônico implantado no equipamento ficou mais barato que o seu similar, os resultados dos ensaios foram gerados em menor espaço de tempo, podem ser utilizados como dados de projetos de fundações. Os sinais de força e velocidade foram produzidos nas células de carga e acelerômetro. Para obtenção desses resultados, o sistema indicou automaticamente a penetração do cone no solo, motivada pela energia envolvida no processo, que por sua vez, é resultado da integração do produto da força atuante e da velocidade das partículas (no domínio do tempo). O objetivo do trabalho foi alcançado, visto que, a instrumentação do DPL, com um sistema eletrônico, possibilitou avaliar a resistência do solo à penetração. Constatou-se que essa medida está condicionada à qualidade do sinal de força e aceleração. Esta por sua vez depende de fatores como: qualidade técnica dos sensores de deformação, construção da célula de carga, qualidade do adesivo e corretos procedimentos nos ajustes e nos ensaios com o equipamento DPL instrumentado / Abstract: The Dynamic Penetrometer Lightweight, known as, Dynamic Probing Light (DPL) is a portable geotechnical survey device, which came out, as an alternative tool to assist the Standard Penetration Test (SPT). Currently, it is one of the most used equipment all over the world. Although, the DPL has the potential for replacing the SPT in testing on soils with low penetration resistance, where the NNSP <5, it has not been known in the engineering field, applying little attention in the civil construction works. The purpose of this study is to instrument a DPL with electronics system intended to measure soil penetration resistance in dynamic test. This measure is due to the work of the effective energy that drives down the cone of the equipment, nailing it on the ground. It was found that the electronic system implemented in the equipment was cheaper than its similar, the results of the tests were generated in a shorter time and these findings can be used as data for foundation projects. The force and speed signals were produced on the load cells and accelerometer. In order to obtain these results, the system automatically indicated the penetration of the cone into the soil, caused by the energy involved in the process, which in turn, results from the integration of the active power output and speed of the particles (in the time domain). The objective of the study was reached, since the instrumentation of the DPL with an electronic system, enabled to evaluate the soil penetration resistance. It was found that this measure is subject to the quality of the force and the acceleration signal. This, in turn, depends on factors such as technical quality of strain sensors, load cell construction, quality of the adhesive and correct procedures on the adjustments, as well as, on the tests with the DPL instrumented equipment / Doutor

Orientador: Juércio Tavares de Mattos / Banca: Jairo Roberto Jiménez Rueda / Banca: Sérgio dos Anjos Ferreira Pinto / Banca: Luiz Antônio Cestaro / Banca: Luiz Eduardo de Oliveira / Resumo: Este trabalho objetiva identificar analiticamente os impactos ambientais negativos e determinar, a partir de modelos empíricos, em escala de 1:25.000, os graus de vulnerabilidade ambiental existentes no litoral sul do Estado do Rio Grande do Norte. Os resultados dos impactos foram obtidos mediante a proposição de metodologias de geoprocessamento específicas para cada impacto. A distribuição das diferentes classes de vulnerabilidade ambiental foi determinada a partir de modelamentos por álgebra de mapas. Os impactos ambientais analisados configuram-se nos campos de dunas, manguezais, faixas de praia e remanescentes florestais de Mata Atlântica. Quanto às dunas, o mapeamento indicou que 48,24% da área têm uma magnitude de impacto classificada como muito fraca. Contudo, o que preocupa é que os locais onde a magnitude do impacto é muito forte são exatamente as áreas com maior vulnerabilidade ambiental. Atualmente o maior avanço da carcinicultura ocorre em áreas que não são de manguezais, mas em sistemas ambientais associados. As faixas de praia podem se diferenciar quanto ao seu comprometimento ambiental, pois a capacidade de suporte aos impactos desses ambientes varia em função de suas características geoambientais. Apesar de os fragmentos florestais de Mata Atlântica apresentarem predominância de áreas muito irregulares (60,39%), muito pequenas (64,08%), com proporção de borda de 54,34%, má distribuição de sua densidade (setor sul) e circundados por cana-de-açúcar e áreas campestres (72,04%), eles ainda são responsáveis pelo controle geossistêmico e ecológico da área. Quanto à vulnerabilidade ambiental, verificou-se de que mais de 80% da área é classificada como de baixa e moderada vulnerabilidade. Isso mostra que, de acordo com o método aplicado e com os... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: This study aims to identify analytically the negative environmental impacts and determine, based on empirical models, on a scale of 1:25,000, the existing degree of environmental vulnerability in the south coast of Rio Grande do Norte. The results of the impacts were obtained by the proposition of geoprocessing methodologies specific to each impact. The distribution of different classes of environmental vulnerability were determined from models for map algebra. The environmental impacts analyzed, are configured in the fields of dunes, mangroves, beach strips and areas of Mata Atlantica. Refering to the dunes, the mapping indicated that 48.24% of the area has a magnitude of impact rated as very small. However, the problem is that the locations where the magnitude of impact is very strong are the areas with greater environmental vulnerability. Currently the largest improvement in shrimp farming occurs in areas that are not mangrove, but in associated environmental systems.The beach strips may differ as to its environmental commitment, because the ability to support the impacts of these environments varies with geo-environmental characteristics. Although the present Mata Atlantica forest fragments shows predominance of very irregular areas (60.39%), very small (64.08%), with proportion of edge of 54.34%, bad distribution of density (southern sector) and surrounded by sugar cane fields and grassland (72.04%), they are still responsible for controlling geosystems and ecological area. Refering to the environmental vulnerability, we have concluded that more than 80% of the area is classified as low-and moderate vulnerability. This shows that, according to the method used and results achieved, most of the area is in balance. However... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Doutor

Seismic wave testing has become increasingly popular in site investigation. This is due to the fact that the principles involved are becoming more accepted and that the equipment are becoming more available and reliable. This dissertation presents the required theory behind one seismic test in particular, the Continuous Surface Wave (CSW) method of seismic testing. The attributes of seismic testing are presented along with a summary of various testing methods. The dissertation also demonstrates that the author developed his own system for completing this test and demonstrated that he successfully used it to measure the stiffness of two soil profiles. The author compared the stiffness as measured using the CSW method with the strength as measured using the Dynamic Cone Penetrometer (DCP) for two soil profiles, and the in situ profile was compared to a compacted profile. The author demonstrated that the in situ profile had a higher stiffness than the same soil after it was thoroughly compacted and that the DCP results concur. This was caused by the in situ profile being structured and the compacted profile not. / Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Civil Engineering / MSc / Unrestricted

The study of rock mass behaviour is a broad subject in the rock mechanics field which still needs more research and investigation, especially for geotechnical issues associated with dam construction. Since it is difficult to study rock mass behaviour at a large scale in the laboratory, the numerical modelling technique is an alternative method which can be used efficiently in this field. In this thesis two codes have been selected for this purpose. The first code was a continuum code FLAC (Fast Lagrangian Analysis of Continua), which was used to study the effect of a weak rock joint on the stability of a concrete gravity dam as well as to model the gravity dam with its foundation as a continuum. The second code was the Distinct Element Method (DEM) software package UDEC (Universal Distinct Element Code), which was used to study the fully jointed rock mass behaviour under the gravity dam. The equivalent strength and deformability parameters of jointed rock masses were also studied using UDEC. Furthermore, the cause of strain hardening behaviour in jointed rock samples was studied using UDEC and experimental methods. Based on UDEC models, it was concluded that only the low dip angle of the joints on downstream side, dipping upstream had a significant effect on the evaluated deformation of the dam. This was confirmed by using FLAC to model a single weak joint (using interfaces), which may exist in the upstream or downstream direction, on the stability of the dam. Furthermore, to obtain a better understanding of the rock mass behaviour, the equivalent strength parameters as well as the deformation modulus of a rock mass were determined using UDEC. A novel FISH (imbedded language in UDEC) function was developed for this purpose. A range of numerical simulations of uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) and triaxial tests were conducted on the numerical rock mass samples for these purposes. To validate this, the deformation modulus of the rock mass predicted by an analytical equation, quoted from literature, was compared with the numerical results that were given by UDEC. It was found that UDEC can efficiently be used to determine the strength and deformability parameters of rock masses and that at certain specific joint configurations, the rock mass behaviour was similar to granular material. In addition, it was concluded, for the first time, that the non-uniform distribution of axial loading on the jointed rock sample was the main cause of strain hardening especially for a joint that has a dip angle of 60 degree. To overcome this problem, a new loading configuration was developed for applying a uniform distribution of axial stress on the jointed rock samples in order to reduce the effect of platen-rock interaction on the axial stress-strain relationship, using UDEC and laboratory tests. Finally, the study of rock mass strength and deformability parameters of Surqawshan dam’s foundation in Iraq were determined using UDEC and the results were compared with rock classification systems: RMR and GSI. According to the UDEC results all methods give a similar evaluation of friction angle; however, GSI overestimates the cohesion. The UDEC and GSI gave reasonable estimations of deformation modulus, whereas RMR overestimated it. Generally, for rapid estimation of deformability and strength parameters, especially for weak sedimentary rock, the deformation modulus can be predicted from the GSI system, whereas the strength parameters can be estimated using RMR.

published_or_final_version / abstract / Applied Geosciences / Master / Master of Science