The use of geosynthetics in landfill construction introduces potential planes of weakness. As a result, there is a requirement to assess the stability along the soil/geosynthetic and geosynthetic/geosynthetic interfaces. Stability is governed by the shear strength along the weakest interface in the system. Repeatability interface shear strength testing of a geomembrane/geotextile interface at low normal stresses suitable for capping systems showed considerable variability of measured geosynthetic interface shear strengths, suggesting that minor factors can have a significant influence on the measured shear strength. This study demonstrates that more than one test per normal stress is necessary if a more accurate and reliable interface shear strength value is to be obtained. Carefully controlled inter-laboratory geosynthetic interface shear strength comparison tests undertaken on large direct shear devices that differ in the kinematic degrees of freedom of the top box, showed the fixed top box design to consistently over estimate the available interface shear strength compared to the vertically movable top box design. Results obtained from measurement of the normal stress on the interface during shear with use of load cells in the lower box of the fixed top box design, raise key questions on the accuracy, reliability and proper interpretation of the interface shear strength data used in landfill design calculations. Tests on the geocomposite/sand interface have shown the interface friction angle to vary with the orientation of the geocomposite's main core, in relation to the direction of shearing. Close attention needs to be paid to the onsite geocomposite placement in confined spaces and capping slope corners, as grid orientation on the slope becomes particularly important when sliding is initiated. Attempts to measure the pore water pressure during staged consolidation and shear along a clay/geomembrane interface in the large direct shear device suggest that this interface is a partial drainage path.

O município de Caxias do Sul está inserido em um importante contexto geológico-geotécnico do estado do Rio Grande do Sul e, em sua área urbana, são observados vários acidentes de ordem geotécnica. O conhecimento dos solos e das rochas que constituem os perfis da área urbana carece de uma caracterização mecânica que, diante de qualquer acidente geotécnico, possa servir como ponto de partida para a solução de tal evento. Esta dissertação apresenta um estudo a respeito do comportamento mecânico de um solo residual de Dacito Canyon encontrado na área urbana do município de Caxias do Sul – RS. Foram realizados ensaios de cisalhamento direto e compressão triaxial com corpos de prova indeformados e reconstituídos e também foram executados um ensaio edométrico com um corpo de prova remoldado com a umidade próxima ao limite de liquidez. Os resultados obtidos com a realização dos ensaios mostraram que o material possui uma forte influência da estrutura do solo que foi especialmente evidenciada nos resultados dos ensaios de cisalhamento Foi possível estabelecer, com base em ensaios remoldados, uma curva NCL coerente com os parâmetros N da ordem de 2,1452 e e λ similar a 0,135. Entretanto não foi possível a definição de uma CSL pelo fato do material apresentar uma forte estrutura e os ensaios em amostras remoldadas e indeformadas não indicaram uma estabilização dos índices de vazios finais. O comportamento mecânico dos ensaios indeformados varia de acordo com o nível de deformação e de acordo com os ensaios. Nos ensaios de cisalhamento direto houve uma redução da coesão (de 50kPa para ~24kPa) e aumento do ângulo de atrito com as deformações (de 23 para 24 graus). Com a remoldagem esta tendência aumentou (o ângulo de atrito alcançou 28,5 graus). Já no ensaios triaxiais, o ângulo de atrito se manteve em torno de 29-30 graus e a coesão reduziu de 26kPa para 15kPa para grandes deformações. / The municipality of Caxias do Sul is part of an important geological-geotechnical context in the state of Rio Grande do Sul and several geotechnical accidents have been observed in its urban area. The knowledge of the soils and rocks that make up the profiles of the urban area lacks a mechanical characterization which, in the face of any geotechnical accident, can serve as a starting point for the solution of such an event. This dissertation presents a study about the mechanical behavior of a residual soil of Dacito Canyon found in the urban area of the city of Caxias do Sul - RS. Direct shear and triaxial compression tests were carried out with undisturbed and reconstituted test specimens and an edometric test carried out with a test specimen remolded with humidity close to the liquidity limit. The results obtained with the tests showed that the material has a strong influence of the soil structure that was specially evidenced in the results of the shear tests It was possible to establish on the basis of remolded tests an NCL curve coherent, with the N parameter of the order of 2.1452 and λ similar to 0.135. However, it was not possible to define a CSL because the material had a strong structure and the tests on remolded and undisturbed samples did not indicate a stabilization of the final void ratios. The mechanical behavior of the undeformed tests varied according to the level of deformation and according to the test type. In the direct shear tests there was a reduction of cohesion (from 50kPa to ~ 24kPa) and an increase in the angle of friction with the deformations (from 23 to 24 degrees). In tests with the remolded soil this trend increased (the angle of friction reached 28.5 degrees). In the triaxial tests on undisturbed specimens the friction angle remained around 29-30 degrees, similar to peak, and the cohesion reduced from 26kPa to 15kPa for large deformations.

O município de Caxias do Sul está inserido em um importante contexto geológico-geotécnico do estado do Rio Grande do Sul e, em sua área urbana, são observados vários acidentes de ordem geotécnica. O conhecimento dos solos e das rochas que constituem os perfis da área urbana carece de uma caracterização mecânica que, diante de qualquer acidente geotécnico, possa servir como ponto de partida para a solução de tal evento. Esta dissertação apresenta um estudo a respeito do comportamento mecânico de um solo residual de Dacito Canyon encontrado na área urbana do município de Caxias do Sul – RS. Foram realizados ensaios de cisalhamento direto e compressão triaxial com corpos de prova indeformados e reconstituídos e também foram executados um ensaio edométrico com um corpo de prova remoldado com a umidade próxima ao limite de liquidez. Os resultados obtidos com a realização dos ensaios mostraram que o material possui uma forte influência da estrutura do solo que foi especialmente evidenciada nos resultados dos ensaios de cisalhamento Foi possível estabelecer, com base em ensaios remoldados, uma curva NCL coerente com os parâmetros N da ordem de 2,1452 e e λ similar a 0,135. Entretanto não foi possível a definição de uma CSL pelo fato do material apresentar uma forte estrutura e os ensaios em amostras remoldadas e indeformadas não indicaram uma estabilização dos índices de vazios finais. O comportamento mecânico dos ensaios indeformados varia de acordo com o nível de deformação e de acordo com os ensaios. Nos ensaios de cisalhamento direto houve uma redução da coesão (de 50kPa para ~24kPa) e aumento do ângulo de atrito com as deformações (de 23 para 24 graus). Com a remoldagem esta tendência aumentou (o ângulo de atrito alcançou 28,5 graus). Já no ensaios triaxiais, o ângulo de atrito se manteve em torno de 29-30 graus e a coesão reduziu de 26kPa para 15kPa para grandes deformações. / The municipality of Caxias do Sul is part of an important geological-geotechnical context in the state of Rio Grande do Sul and several geotechnical accidents have been observed in its urban area. The knowledge of the soils and rocks that make up the profiles of the urban area lacks a mechanical characterization which, in the face of any geotechnical accident, can serve as a starting point for the solution of such an event. This dissertation presents a study about the mechanical behavior of a residual soil of Dacito Canyon found in the urban area of the city of Caxias do Sul - RS. Direct shear and triaxial compression tests were carried out with undisturbed and reconstituted test specimens and an edometric test carried out with a test specimen remolded with humidity close to the liquidity limit. The results obtained with the tests showed that the material has a strong influence of the soil structure that was specially evidenced in the results of the shear tests It was possible to establish on the basis of remolded tests an NCL curve coherent, with the N parameter of the order of 2.1452 and λ similar to 0.135. However, it was not possible to define a CSL because the material had a strong structure and the tests on remolded and undisturbed samples did not indicate a stabilization of the final void ratios. The mechanical behavior of the undeformed tests varied according to the level of deformation and according to the test type. In the direct shear tests there was a reduction of cohesion (from 50kPa to ~ 24kPa) and an increase in the angle of friction with the deformations (from 23 to 24 degrees). In tests with the remolded soil this trend increased (the angle of friction reached 28.5 degrees). In the triaxial tests on undisturbed specimens the friction angle remained around 29-30 degrees, similar to peak, and the cohesion reduced from 26kPa to 15kPa for large deformations.

Vibration compaction is the most effective way of compacting coarse-grained materials. The effects of vibration frequency and amplitude on the compaction density of different backfill materials (No. 4 natural sand, No. 24 stone sand and No. 5, No. 8, No. 43 aggregates), were studied in this research. The test materials were characterized based on the particle sizes and morphology parameters using digital image analysis technique. Small-scale laboratory compaction tests were carried out with variable frequency and amplitude of vibrations using vibratory hammer and vibratory table. The results show an increase in density with the increase in amplitude and frequency of vibration. However, the increase in density with the increase in amplitude of vibration is more pronounced for the coarse aggregates than for the sands. A comparison of the maximum dry densities of different test materials shows that the dry densities obtained after compaction using the vibratory hammer are greater than those obtained after compaction using the vibratory table at the highest amplitude and frequency of vibration available in both equipment. Large-scale vibratory roller compaction tests were performed in the field for No. 30 backfill soil to observe the effect of vibration frequency and number of passes on the compaction density. Accelerometer sensors were attached to the roller drum (Caterpillar, model CS56B) to measure the frequency of vibration for the two different vibration settings available to the roller. For this roller and soil tested, the results show that the higher vibration setting is more effective. Direct shear tests and direct interface shear tests were performed to study the impact of particle characteristics of the coarse-grained backfill materials on interface shear resistance. A unique relationship was found between the normalized surface roughness and the ratio of critical-state interface friction angle between sand-gravel mixture with steel to the internal critical-state friction angle of the sand-gravel mixture.

The stability of rock masses is influenced by the occurrence of rock joints. Therefore, the shear strength of rock joints must be considered in dimensioning of underground constructions. One way to predict the shear strength is through usage of failure criteria, which are validated from results of direct shear tests under controlled laboratory conditions. Consequently, the quality of the results from the tests are crucial to the accuracy with which the criteria will be able to predict the shear strength. Since rock joints are unique by nature usage of replicas (man-made copies of rock joints) is of importance in parameter studies. The overall objective of this work is to facilitate the development of improved criteria for predictions of the shear strength of rock joints. To support this objective, two sources of uncertainty have been investigated, namely the geometry of replicas and the influence of the normal stiffness of test systems. Two quality assurance parameters for evaluation of geometrical differences between replicas and rock joints based on scanning data have been derived. The first parameter describes the morphological deviations. The second parameter describes the deviations in orientation with respect to the shear plane. The effective normal stiffness approach, which compensates for the influence of the normal stiffness of the test system indirect shear testing, has been developed, validated, and applied. With help of the quality assurance parameters it is demonstrated that it is possible to reproduce replicas within narrow tolerances. Application of the effective normal stiffness approach basically eliminates the normal load error. In all, the results support generation of improved quality of test data and consequently, the development of shear strength criteria with improved accuracy will also be facilitated. / Bergmassors stabilitet påverkas av bergssprickor. Bergssprickors skjuvhållfasthet behöver därför beaktas vid fastställandet av vilka laster berganläggningar skall dimensioneras mot. Skjuvhållfastheten predikteras bland annat med hjälp av brottkriterier, vilka valideras med hjälp av resultaten från skjuvtester i kontrollerad laboratoriemiljö. Kvaliteten på resultaten från testerna är därför av avgörande betydelse för med vilken noggrannhet kriterierna kommer att kunna prediktera skjuvhållfastheten. Det övergripande målet med detta arbete är att underlätta utvecklingen av förbättrade kriterier för prediktioner av bergssprickors skjuvhållfasthet. Som ett bidrag till att uppnå detta mål har två osäkerhetsfaktorer undersökts, nämligen geometrin av replikor (kopior) av bergssprickor och inverkan av testsystems normalstyvhet. Två kvalitetssäkringsparametrar för utvärdering av de geometriska skillnaderna mellan replikor och bergprov baserade på skanningdata har tagits fram. Den första parametern beskriver de morfologiska avvikelserna. Den andra parametern beskriver avvikelserna i orientering med avseende på skjuvplanet. Ett tillvägagångssätt med en effektiv systemnormalstyvhet, vilken kompenserar för inverkan av testsystemets normalstyvhet, har utvecklats, validerats och tillämpats. Med hjälp av kvalitetssäkringsparametrarna påvisas att det ar möjligt att reproducera replikor inom snäva toleranser. Genom tillämpning av tillvägagångssättet med en effektiv normalstyvhet kan felet i normallast i princip elimineras. Sammantaget stödjer resultaten framtagning av testdata med förbättrad kvalitet och därigenom underlättas även utvecklingen av skjuvhållfasthetskriterier med förbättrad noggrannhet. / <p>QC 210518</p>

Reservoir release patterns are determined by a number of purposes, the most fundamental of which is to manage water resources for human use. Managing our water resources means not only controlling the water in reservoirs but also determining the optimum release rate taking into account factors such as reservoir stability, power generation, water supply for domestic, industrial, and agricultural uses, and the river ecosystem. However, riverbank stability has generally not been considered as a factor, even though release rates may have a significant effect on downstream riverbank stability. Riverbank retreat not only impacts land properties but also damages structures along the river such as roads, bridges and even buildings. Thus, reservoir releases need to also take into account the downstream riverbank stability and erosion issues. The study presented here investigates the riverbank stability and erosion at five study sites representing straight as well as inside and outside channel meander bends located on the lower Roanoke River near Scotland Neck, North Carolina. Extensive laboratory and field experiments were performed to define the hydraulic and geotechnical properties of the riverbank soils at each site. Specifically, soil water characteristic curves were determined using six different techniques and the results compared to existing mathematical models. Hydraulic conductivity was estimated using both laboratory and in situ tests. Due to the wide range of experimentally obtained values, the values determined by each of the methods was used for transient seepage modeling and the modeling results compared to the actual ground water table measured in the field. The results indicate that although the hydraulic conductivities determined by in situ tests were much larger than those typically reported for the soils by lab tests, numerical predictions of the ground water table using the in situ values provided a good fit for the measured ground water table elevation. Shear strengths of unsaturated soils were determined using multistage suction controlled direct shear tests. The test method was validated, and saturated and unsaturated shear strength parameters determined. These parameters, which were determined on the basis of results from both laboratory and field measurements, and the associated boundary conditions, which took into account representative flow rates and patterns including peaking, drawdown and step-down scenarios, were then utilized for transient seepage analyses and slope stability analyses performed using SLIDE, a software package developed by Rocscience. The analyses confirmed that the riverbanks are stable for all flow conditions, although the presence of lower permeability soils in some areas may create excess pore water pressures, especially during drawdown and step-down events, that result in the slope becoming unstable in those locations. These findings indicate that overall, the current reservoir release patterns do not cause adverse impacts on the downstream riverbanks, although a gradual drawdown after a prolonged high flow event during the wet season would reduce unfavorable conditions that threaten riverbank stability. / Ph. D.

Esta tese apresenta os princípios e a formulação de um modelo não-linear de atrito estático em interface de concreto areia. A hipótese básica para desenvolvimento das equações consiste na ocorrência do atrito de deslizamento (atrito verdadeiro), do atrito de rolamento (rearranjo das partículas) e da dilatância (variação de volume durante o cisalhamento). A solução analítica do modelo considera o efeito da rugosidade da superfície de contato, da curva granulométrica da areia e do seu estado de compacidade inicial. Foram realizados ensaios de cisalhamento direto com carga normal constante em interface de contato entre concreto e areia com seção de 500 mm x 500 mm com o objetivo de permitir a calibração do modelo proposto. É discutida e sugerida a incorporação da equação constitutiva desse modelo em análises de interação solo-estrutura via método dos elementos finitos. Sua aplicabilidade é demonstrada através da análise 1D e 2D de estacas de atrito executadas em areia e submetidas a carregamentos de compressão / This thesis presents the principles and formulation underlying a concrete-sand interface nonlinear static friction model. The basic hypothesis employed in the development of the model equation takes into account the interface sliding friction (true friction), a rolling friction (particle rearrangement) and dilatancy(volume variation during shear). The model analytical solution considers the effect of roughness of the contact surface, the grain size distribution and its initial state of compactness of the sand. To calibrate the proposed model, a direct shear stress test under constant load was carried out along a 500mm x 500mm section concrete-sand interface. Furthermore, a discussion and suggestion of the inclusion of the model constitutive equation applied to the analysis of soil-structure interaction using the finite element method are presented. The applicability of the proposed model is proven through the analysis of 1-D and 2-D skin friction piles made of sand mass subjected to compression load

Este trabalho apresenta a caracterização in situ de propriedades de interesse geotécnico de maciços de resíduos sólidos urbanos (RSU) e o estudo das propriedades de resistência ao cisalhamento de RSU com diferentes idades. Foram realizadas investigações por sondagens e com métodos geofísicos sísmicos no Aterro Sanitário de São Carlos (ASSC) e ensaios de cisalhamento direto de grandes dimensões (50x50 cm2) com amostras de diferentes idades de aterramento coletadas no ASSC, no Lixão Desativado de São Carlos e em Aterro Experimental construído nas proximidades do Lixão. As investigações realizadas no ASSC revelaram que as diferentes fases de operação do maciço (aterro controlado e aterro sanitário) produziram dois estratos com diferentes propriedades geotécnicas. A umidade, as velocidades de propagação de ondas sísmicas e o peso específico in situ dos dois estratos são distintos, sendo sempre menores e menos dispersos no estrato mais raso (operado como aterro sanitário) e maiores e mais dispersos no estrato mais profundo (operado como aterro controlado). Realizaram-se tentativas de determinação do peso específico in situ dos RSU com medição dos volumes escavados por substituição de volume. Notou-se que os furos tendiam a diminuir de diâmetro assim que a composição de sondagem era retirada e que o método adotado para avanço dos furos, com trado helicoidal de haste oca, promovia segregação dos componentes atravessados, realizando uma amostragem parcial dos mesmos. Foram calculados valores médios de peso específico in situ para o maciço investigado (9 a 15 kN/m3) e identificadas as principais limitações da aplicação deste método a aterros sanitários. A aplicação de métodos geofísicos sísmicos foi fundamental para a diferenciação dos dois estratos e permitiu que se calculasse o módulo de cisalhamento máximo (Go) dos resíduos, que variou significativamente de um estrato para outro. Foi possível comparar os resultados obtidos com a aplicação do método crosshole e do método multichannel analysis of surface waves (MASW) no mesmo aterro sanitário. A caracterização das seis amostras utilizadas nos ensaios de cisalhamento direto revelou que, apesar de elas representarem idades distintas de disposição dos resíduos (2 a 25 anos) e condições de aterramento variadas (formas de operação dos depósitos, ambientes de decomposição e condições de confinamento), a maioria delas se encontrava em estágio avançado de degradação (fase metanogênica) e apenas a mais recente (2 anos de aterramento) encontrava-se em estágio um pouco menos avançado de degradação (início da fase metanogênica). Todas elas exibiram curvas tensão-deslocamento semelhantes, sem pico ou valor de máxima resistência bem caracterizados. Os parâmetros de resistência ao cisalhamento foram obtidos a partir de níveis específicos de deslocamento. Avaliou-se a influência da amostragem, dos procedimentos de preparação das amostras e da composição gravimétrica de cada uma delas sobre os valores calculados para coesão e ângulo de atrito. Para deslocamentos de 100 mm o resíduo aterrado há dois anos apresentou coesão de 13,7 kPa e ângulo de atrito de 22º. Os resíduos mais degradados, com idades de disposição entre 5 e 25 anos, apresentaram coesão de 4,4 kPa e ângulo de atrito de 30º. Utilizaram-se tensões normais de 50, 150 e 250 kPa. Realizaram-se ainda ensaios de cisalhamento direto de grandes dimensões em uma das amostras com corpos de prova em duas posições: paralela e perpendicular à direção de compactação. Os resultados confirmaram que os RSU têm comportamento anisotrópico, sendo que os corpos de prova ensaiados com os componentes alinhados preferencialmente na posição vertical (rotacionados) têm comportamento de endurecimento ainda mais pronunciado que aqueles ensaiados com os componentes orientados preferencialmente no plano horizontal. / Field and laboratory tests were combined to characterize some in-place geotechnical properties of the waste body in the São Carlos Sanitary Landfill (SCSL). The investigation was carried out using hollow stem auger soundings and seismic geophysical methods in the field, and large-scale direct shear testing in the laboratory. The field investigation revealed two strata with different geotechnical properties and they could be related to the different operational phases of the landfill (controlled landfill and sanitary landfill). Moisture content, seismic wave velocities and in-place unit weight were systematically lower and less scattered in the upper stratum than in the lower stratum. The upper stratum was operated as a sanitary landfill and the lower stratum was operated as a controlled landfill. The investigations with geophysical seismic methods were essential for identifying the two strata and allowed for the calculation of the Poisson ratio and the small strain shear modulus (Go) of the waste body. The Poisson ratio showed no sensibility to the waste stratigraphy, but Go values were significantly higher in the lower stratum. Moreover, the results of two different geophysical methods, namely crosshole and multichannel analysis of surface waves (MASW), could be compared. An attempt was made to estimate overboring using a volume substitution method by filling the boreholes with gravel. This aimed at incorporating this aspect in the calculations of the MSW in-place unit weight. Nevertheless, the borings tended to cave in as soon as the augers were removed and this prevented the evaluation of the overboring. Moreover, the hollow stem auger tended to segregate the larger components of the waste and to bring only the smaller ones to the surface. Despite all these difficulties, average values for the MSW inplace unit weight were be calculated (9 to 15 kN/m3). In the laboratory, large-scale direct shear tests (500 x 500 mm2) were performed to provide an insight on the shear strength response of municipal solid waste (MSW) of different landfilling ages. The test samples were collected from the SCSL, a dumpsite and an experimental landfill. Their landfilling ages ranged from 2 to 25 years. Physico-chemical characterization of the samples revealed that most of them were subjected to the metanogenesis degradation phase, in spite of their different landfilling ages and burial conditions (operational characteristics of the deposits, decomposition environment and confining pressures). Only the newest one (2 years old sample) was subjected to an earlier stage of degradation. In the direct shear tests, all samples showed similar stress-strain curves, with continuous strain hardening and no identifiable maximum stress, despite the large displacements. The influence of sampling method, sample preparation and sample gravimetric composition on the calculated shear resistance parameters is discussed. For a 100-mm displacement the shear resistance of the less degraded waste (2 years of landfilling) is best characterized by cohesion = 13.7 kPa and friction angle = 22º. The more degraded wastes (5 to 25 years old samples) are best characterized by cohesion = 4.4 kPa and friction angle = 30º. The tests were performed with initial normal stresses of 50, 150 and 250 kPa. Specific large direct shear tests were performed to evaluate anisotropy in the MSW shear response. The test samples had the fibrous materials oriented perpendicular or parallel to the horizontal shear surface. Results confirmed the expected anisotropy by showing a hardening behaviour that was more pronounced when the fibrous materials were oriented perpendicular to the shear plan.

Closely jointed greywacke rock masses are widespread throughout both the North and South Islands of New Zealand and much of New Zealand's infrastructure is constructed upon greywacke rock masses. This thesis deals with determining the rock mass strength of unweathered closely jointed New Zealand greywacke rock masses. Currently, the estimation of rock mass strength and deformability is reasonably well predicted through the use of such empirical failure criteria as the Hoek-Brown failure criterion and empirical expressions to predict deformability. However, previous studies upon predicting the strength and deformability of unweathered closely jointed New Zealand greywacke rock masses has shown that existing empirical methods of determining strength and deformability are unsatisfactory. The problem with predicting rock mass strength and deformability moduli of New Zealand greywacke and the lack of adequate data to calibrate a failure criterion was the starting point for this work. The objective of this thesis was to increase the knowledge of intact and defect properties of closely jointed greywacke, develop reliable rock mass data with which to calibrate a failure criterion and improve the ability to estimate the rock mass strength of greywacke rock masses. A review of existing failure criteria for rock masses was conducted and of these criteria, the Hoek-Brown rock mass failure criteria was selected to calibrate to both the intact rock and rock mass failure data, because of its broad acceptance in the rock mechanics community. A database of greywacke properties was developed based on previous studies upon unweathered greywacke around New Zealand and is attached to the thesis as an Appendix. The database included descriptions of greywacke defect properties and mechanical properties of the intact rock and joints. From this database, inputs could be justified for numerical modelling and later analyses of failure criteria. Records from the construction archives of the Benmore and Aviemore hydroelectric power projects in the South Island of New Zealand were reviewed to obtain information and results from a series of shear tests carried out on unweathered closely jointed greywacke in the 1960s. Data on rock mass strength at failure and rock mass deformability were extracted from these records to assess the predictability of the failure criterion and deformability expressions. Problems experienced during the shear tests at the Aviemore dam site created doubt as to the actual rock mass strengths achieved at failure. The behaviour of these tests was studied using the finite difference code FLAC. The work was aimed at investigating the potential for transfer of shear force between the two concrete blocks sheared in each test and the impact shear force transfer had upon the likely normal stresses beneath each block at failure. The numerical modelling results indicated that a combination of preferential failure occurring in one direction, and doubt in the actual normal load applied to the concrete blocks during testing lead to premature failure in the blocks sheared upstream. The blocks sheared in the opposite direction failed at normal stresses that are reflective of the strength of an unweathered greywacke rock mass, but these results could be explained by failure occurring along defects therefore not satisfying the assumptions of homogeneity typically required of a rock mass failure criterion. The Hoek-Brown failure criterion for intact rock was investigated by fitting it to the largest intact greywacke datasets. For a full set of test data (i.e. including tensile data), the Mostyn & Douglas (2000) variant of the Hoek-Brown failure criterion gave the best fit for a full set of rock mass data. A multiple regression method was developed which improved the fitted curve to intact data in the tensile region and gave the best estimate of tensile strength if no existing lab results for tensile strength were available. These results suggest that the Hoek-Brown failure criterion is significantly limited in its applicability to intact NZ greywacke rock. Hoek-Brown input parameters different to those suggested by Hoek et al (2002) are recommended for using the Hoek-Brown failure criterion for intact NZ greywacke. For closely jointed NZ greywacke rock masses, the results from the shear tests at Aviemore and Benmore were separated into different GSI classes and Hoek-Brown envelopes fitted to the datasets by multiple regression. Revised expressions were proposed for each Hoek-Brown input parameter (mb, s, ab) as a function of the GSI. The resulting revised Hoek-Brown failure envelopes for NZ greywacke offer a significant improvement on the existing criterion used to predict the strength of NZ greywacke intact rock and rock masses. The differences in the behaviour of the reaction blocks that failed before the test blocks and the reduction in rock strength due to sliding along defects from that predicted could be reasoned from recorded observations and the behaviour of the concrete blocks during the shear tests. This study has clearly illustrated the need for continued research in this area. This includes (1) a means of assessing the role of defects upon the shear strength of closely jointed greywacke rock mass into a failure criterion, (2) further modelling of the in-situ shear tests by a discrete element procedure to expressly determine the role of the defect on failure, (3) more testing on rock masses to obtain more data to calibrate a rock mass failure criterion, and (4) more studies on predicting the strength of extremely disturbed rock masses.

[pt] A resistência ao cisalhamento de descontinuidades é fortemente influenciada pela rugosidade e pela tensão normal aplicada, além de outras propriedades das descontinuidades. A sua avaliação é de vital importância nos projetos de escavações subterrâneas, estabilidade de taludes, túneis, fundações e outros tipos de obras da engenharia em rochas. O propósito principal deste trabalho foi o desenvolvimento de um equipamento de cisalhamento direto convencional que permite avaliar a resistência ao cisalhamento em descontinuidades de rochas sem preenchimento, em escala de laboratório. A força normal e a força cisalhante foram aplicadas através de atuadores hidráulicos servo controlados. Encontram-se acoplados nos atuadores os dispositivos para medir cargas e deslocamentos verticais e horizontais. O controlador de aquisição de dados converte os sinais mecânicos e elétricos em dados digitais. Os dados foram registrados nos intervalos desejados num computador. Foram feitos ensaios de cisalhamento em juntas artificiais e naturais de dois tipos de gnaisse, o Microclina Gnaisse e o Plagioclásio biotita hornblenda gnaisse. Os resultados obtidos apresentaram uma variação no padrão da rugosidade, com uma diminuição da dispersão com o aumento da escala das amostras, as juntas naturais apresentaram uma dispersão maior nos resultados do que as juntas artificiais. Os parâmetros de resistência obtidos experimentalmente foram então comparados, com os parâmetros de resistência obtidos através do método empírico de Barton e Choubey (1977) e também com dados encontrados na bibliografia. Os resultados mostram-se satisfatórios, validando o equipamento desenvolvido. / [en] The shear strength of discontinuities is strongly influenced by the roughness and the normal stress applied, as well as other properties of the discontinuities. Their assessment is of vital importance in underground excavation projects, slope stability, tunnels, foundations and other types of rock engineering activities. The main purpose of this work was the development of a conventional direct shear equipment to determine the shear strength of unfilled rock discontinuities at laboratory scale. Normal force and shear force were applied with servo controlled hydraulic actuators. The devices for measuring loads and vertical and horizontal displacements are coupled to the actuators. The data acquisition controller converts the mechanical and electrical signals into digital data. The data was recorded at the desired intervals on a computer. Shear tests were performed on artificial and natural joints of two types of gneiss, the Microcline gneiss and the Plagioclase biotite hornblende gneiss, common rocks in the southern region of Rio de Janeiro city. The results showed a variation in the roughness pattern, with a decrease of the dispersion with the increase of the samples size, the natural joints presented a greater dispersion in results than the artificial joints. The resistance parameters obtained experimentally were then compared with the resistance parameters obtained through the empirical method of Barton and Choubey (1977) and also with data found in the literature. The results obtained are satisfactory, validating the developed equipment.