Rock support and reinforcement

Abstract

The term support is widely used to describe the procedures and materials used to improve the stability and maintain the load-carrying capability of rock near the boundaries of underground excavations. As will be shown in this chapter, the primary objective of support practice is to mobilise and conserve the inherent strength of the rock mass so that it becomes self-supporting. The procedures and materials used in this case may be more correctly described as reinforcement. The term support can then be reserved for use in those cases in which the rock mass is truly supported by structural elements which carry, in whole or part, the weights of individual rock blocks isolated by discontinuities or of zones of loosened rock.