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Geology and the classification of rock masses—Examples from Austrian tunnels

La géologie et la classification des massifs rocheux exemples de tunnels Autrichiens

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Abstract

Independent of the well known classification systems this paper presents an attempt at a subsequent, geological characterisation of the classes of rock mass quality found for three tunnel projects in Austria. Simple statistical treatment of the data shows that joint and bedding-plane spacing, sliding prone fillings and seepage are the most useful geological criteria for characterising the rock mass classes, which themselves had been derived from standard support requirements. Ratio and relative importance of these criteria, however, are quite different for each tunnel project.

Influence of tunnel cross sectional area, depth of cover and orientation of divisional planes could not be proved important on the basis of the data available.

Résumé

L'auteur a essayé de caractériser, indépendamment des systèmes bien connus de classification, la qualité des massifs rocheux à partir de constatations faites dans trois tunnels construits en Autriche. L'étude statistique simple, des données a montré que l'espacement des diaclases et des plans de stratification ainsi que la présence de remplissages prédisposés au glissement et les infiltrations représentent les critères géologiques les plus appropriés pour caractériser les catégories de terrains qui, elles, ont été dérivées de critères tels que quantité d'appui nécessaire etc. Par contre, les rapports entre ces critères géologiques et leur, importance relative sont bien différents pour chaque tunnel.

Les données disponibles n'ont pas permis de constater une influence de la section transversale de la puissance de la couverture et de l'orientation des plans de discontinuité.

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  1. Institut für Technische Geologie, Petrographie und Mineralogie der Technischen Universität Graz, Rechbauerstraße 12, A-8010, Graz, Austria

    Franz Josef Brosch

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  1. Franz Josef Brosch
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Brosch, F.J. Geology and the classification of rock masses—Examples from Austrian tunnels. Bulletin of the International Association of Engineering Geology 33, 31–37 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02594703

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