Rock Mass Rating (Bieniawski, 1989)

G. Barindelli P.
V-01 (01-07-2013)

A. CLASSIFICATION PARAMETERS AND THEIR RATINGS

Parameter Range of Values

Point load strength For this low range uniaxial

Strength of >10 MPa 4-10 MPa 2-4 MPa 1-2 MPa compresive strength is preferred
index
Intact rock
1 material Uniaxial comp.
>250 MPa 100-250 MPa 50-100 MPa 25-50 MPa 5-25 MPa 1-5 MPa <1 MPa
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 >2m 0.6 - 2 m 200 - 600 mm 60 - 200 mm < 60 mm

3
Rating 20 15 10 8 5

Slickensided surfaces
Very Rough surfaces
Sligthly rough surfaces Sligthtly rough surfaces or Soft gouge > 5 mm tick
Not continuous
Condition of discontinuities (See E) Separation < 1 mm Separation < 1mm Gouge < 5 mm tick or
No Separation
4 Sligthly weathered walls Highly weathered walls or Separation >5 mm continuous
Unweathered wall rock
Separation 1-5 mm continuous

Rating 30 25 20 10 0

Inflow per 10 m tunnel

None < 10 10-25 25 - 125 > 125
length (l/m)
Ground
(Joint water press)/(Major
water 0 < 0.1 0.1 - 0.2 0.2 - 0.5 > 0.5
5 principal stress )

General conditions Completely dry Damp Wet Dripping Flowing

Rating 15 10 7 4 0

B. RATING ADJUSTMENT FOR DISCONTINUITY ORIENTATIONS (SEE F)

Strike and dip orientations Very Favourable Favourable Fair Unfavourable Very Unfavourable

Tunnels & mines 0 -2 -5 -10 -12

Ratings Foundations 0 -2 -7 -15 -25

Slopes 0 -2 -25 -50

C. ROCK MASS CLASSES DETERMINED FROM TOTAL RATINGS

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 OF ROCK CLASSES

Class Number I II III IV V

Average stand up time 20 year for 15 m span 1 year for 10 m span 1 week for 5 m span 10 h for 2.5 m span 30 min for 1 m span

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

Friction angle of rock mass (deg) > 45 35 - 45 25 - 35 15 - 25 < 15

E. GUIDELINES FOR CLASSIFICATION OF DISCONTINUITY CONDITIONS

Discontinuity length (persistence) <1m 1-3m 3 - 10 m 10 - 20 m > 20 m
Rating 6 4 2 1 0
Separation (aperture) None < 0.1 mm 0.1 - 1.0 mm 1 -5 mm > 5 mm
Rating 6 5 4 1 0
Roughness Very rough Rough Slightly rough Smooth Slickensided
Rating 6 5 3 1 0
Infilling (gouge) None Hard filling < 5 mm Hard filling > 5 mm Soft filling < 5 mm Soft filling > 5 mm

Rating 6 4 2 2 0
Weathering Unweathered Slightly weathered Moderately weathered Highly weathered Decomposed
Rating 6 5 3 1 0

F. EFFECT OF DISCONTINUITY SRIKE AND DIP ORIENTATION IN TUNNELLING

Strike perpendicular to tunnel axis Strike parallel to tunnel axis
Drive with dip Dip 45- 90 Drive with dip Dip 20-45 Dip 45-90 Dip 20-45
Very Favourable Favourable Very Favourable Fair
Drive against dip Dip 45-90 Drive against dip Dip 20-45 Dip 0-20 Irrespective of strike
Fair Unfavourable Fair