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Educational guide | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
IDENTIFYING DATA | 2024_25 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Subject | ROCK MECHANICS | Code | 00808026 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Study programme |
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Descriptors | Credit. | Type | Year | Period | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
4.5 | Compulsory | Third | First |
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Language |
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Prerequisites | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Department | TECN.MINERA,TOPOGRAF. Y ESTRUC |
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Coordinador |
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csief@unileon.es ngomm@unileon.es |
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Lecturers |
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Web | http://https://www.unileon.es/estudiantes/oferta-academica/grados/grado-en-ingenieria-minera/plan-estudios?id=0808026&cursoa=2022 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
General description | Geotechnical engineering comprises the study of soil mechanics and rock mechanics. This latter is the branch of mechanics that investigates the responses of rocks and rock masses to the stress fields occurring in their environment. Although the fundamentals of this discipline have been known since very ancient times, they were developed empirically on the basis of past experiences, for instance the choice of rocks for foundations or the avoidance of large empty spaces in underground structures. At the present day all of these principles have been formally codified with the aid of continuum mechanics combined with study of heterogeneities, discontinuities and anisotropies, giving the discipline a much more mature approach. This programme is intended to ensure that students will be able to deal with problems such as predicting movements around underground excavations, calculating the natural slope or angle of repose of banks and of batters along mine berms, and the stability of structures such as dams, whenever masses of rock are involved. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Tribunales de Revisión |
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Competencias |
Code | |
A16779 | |
A16793 | |
A16794 | |
A16795 | |
A16796 | |
A16798 | |
B5149 | |
B5155 | |
B5157 | |
B5159 | |
B5160 | |
B5161 | |
B5167 | |
B5168 | |
B5169 | |
B5170 | |
B5171 | |
B5177 | |
B5178 | |
B5180 | |
C3 | CMECES3 That students have the ability to gather and interpret relevant data (normally within their area of study) to make judgments that include reflection on relevant issues of a social, scientific or ethical nature. |
C4 | CMECES4 That students can transmit information, ideas, problems and solutions to both a specialised and non-specialised audience |
C5 | CMECES5 That students have developed those learning skills necessary to undertake further studies with a high degree of autonomy |
Learning aims |
Competences | |||
A16779 A16793 A16794 A16795 A16796 A16798 |
B5149 B5155 B5157 B5159 B5160 B5161 B5167 B5168 B5169 B5170 B5171 B5177 B5178 B5180 |
C3 C4 C5 |
Contents |
Topic | Sub-topic |
BLOCK I: GENERAL FEATURES | 1.1 Introduction to the subject. 1.2 Rock mechanics in the context of mining, construction and Earth Sciences. 1.3 Soils, rocks and rock masses: shared and differential features |
BLOCK II: PHYSICAL AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF MASSES OF ROCK | 2.1 Characteristics of continuous media 2.2 Isotropy and anisotropy 2.3 Properties of rock masses 2.4 Determining properties 2.5 Weathering 2.6 Effects of water |
BLOCK III: STRESSES AND DEFORMATIONS IN ROCKS | 3.1 Stresses on one plane and in three dimensions 3.2 Effective stresses 3.3 Distribution of stresses around an excavation 3.4 Rupture mechanisms |
BLOCK IV: RESISTANCE AND DEFORMABILITY | 4.1 Stress-deformation relationship 4.2 Rupture criteria 4.3 Laboratory and field trials |
BLOCK V: DISCONTINUITIES IN ROCK MASSES | 5.1 Types of discontinuity and their characteristics 5.2 Resistance to shearing |
BLOCK VI: GEO-MECHANICAL CLASSIFICATIONS | 6.1 Analysis and application of geo-mechanical classifications 6.2 Applications for designing propping systems and types of practical use |
BLOCK VII: CALCULATING THE STABILITY OF SURFACE STRUCTURES AND ROCK MASSES | 7.1 Empirical methods 7.2 Limit equilibrium 7.3 Graphic methods 7.4 Fundamentals of numerical methods for stresses and deformations 7.5 Probabilistic analysis |
BLOCK VIII: PROPPING OF UNDERGROUND MINING WORKS AND STRUCTURES | 8.1 Empirical methods 8.2 Characteristic curves 8.3 Structural stability 8.4 Numerical methods |
BLOCK IX: INSTRUMENTS AND CHECKS ON ROCK MASSES | 9.1 Instrumental determination of stresses 9.2 Instrumental determination of deformations |
BLOCK X: PRACTICAL SESSIONS | Rock mechanics trials in the laboratory (as available). Visit to a Rock and Soil Mechanics laboratory. In situ geo-mechanical characterization of a rock mass. Measuring dip, direction of dip in discontinuities and characterization of the latter. |
Planning |
Methodologies :: Tests | |||||||||
Class hours | Hours outside the classroom | Total hours | |||||||
Seminars | 12 | 12 | 24 | ||||||
Field work/trips | 5 | 5.5 | 10.5 | ||||||
Problem solving, classroom exercises | 10 | 25 | 35 | ||||||
Lecture | 15 | 25 | 40 | ||||||
Extended-answer tests | 3 | 0 | 3 | ||||||
(*)The information in the planning table is for guidance only and does not take into account the heterogeneity of the students. |
Methodologies |
Description | |
Seminars | Rock mechanics applications in open pit mining, slopes and surface works. |
Field work/trips | The student will be accompanied to carry out field practices related to sampling and measurement of geotechnical data. |
Problem solving, classroom exercises | Problems/exercises on the subject will be solved in order to consolidate knowledge and teach the student the practical application of the knowledge acquired in the theoretical classes. |
Lecture | Lecture sessions are developed using a blackboard and multimedia presentation. There will be a theoretical presentation of all the concepts included in the programme. Subsequently, the concepts are justified and their application to specific cases is shown. |
Personalized attention |
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Assessment |
Description | Qualification | ||
Lecture | Participation in activities proposed by the teacher. | 10 % | |
Field work/trips | Completion of the practicals. | 10 % | |
Extended-answer tests | Theoretical and practical test on all the material covered in the course. | 80 % | |
Other comments and second call | |||
Sources of information |
Access to Recommended Bibliography in the Catalog ULE |
Basic | |
Complementary | |
Recommendations |
Subjects that are recommended to be taken simultaneously | |||
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Subjects that it is recommended to have taken before | ||
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