Educational guide
IDENTIFYING DATA 2023_24
Subject ROCK MECHANICS Code 00808026
Study programme
0808 - GRADO EN INGENIERIA MINERA
Descriptors Credit. Type Year Period
4.5 Compulsory Third First
Language
Castellano
Prerequisites
Department TECN.MINERA,TOPOGRAF. Y ESTRUC
Coordinador
SIERRA FERNANDEZ , CARLOS
E-mail csief@unileon.es
vcond@unileon.es
Lecturers
CONTRERAS DEL CASTILLO, VICTOR ANGEL
SIERRA FERNANDEZ , CARLOS
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
Tribunal titular
Cargo Departamento Profesor
Presidente BERNARDO SANCHEZ , ANTONIO
Secretario TECN.MINERA,TOPOGRAF. Y ESTRUC ORTIZ MARQUES , ALMUDENA
Vocal TECN.MINERA,TOPOGRAF. Y ESTRUC RODRIGUEZ PEREZ , JOSE RAMON
Tribunal suplente
Cargo Departamento Profesor
Presidente TECN.MINERA,TOPOGRAF. Y ESTRUC CASTAÑON GARCIA , ANA MARIA
Secretario TECN.MINERA,TOPOGRAF. Y ESTRUC ALVAREZ DE PRADO , LAURA
Vocal TECN.MINERA,TOPOGRAF. Y ESTRUC ALVAREZ TABOADA , MARIA FLOR

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
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
 
Lecture
Problem solving, classroom exercises
Description
The teacher will resolve any doubts that the students may have and, in particular, will propose and guide the work that they can develop.
Interaction between the student and the teacher is also foreseen through the ULE computer platform.
Student and teacher can connect permanently through e-mail.

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
EXPLOTATIONS OF MINES I / 00808021
GEOTECHNICS / 00808025

Subjects that it is recommended to have taken before
THEORY OF STRUCTURES AND CONSTRUCTIONS / 00808018