Application of rock mass index (RMi) to the rock mass excavatability assessment in open face excavations

Earthwork and surface excavation activities play an important role in construction projects. Selecting the best technique to loosen the overburden material within the surface excavation in open mining and geotechnical projects is of great importance from economical and technical viewpoints. Surface...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Geomechanics and geoengineering : an international journal 2014-01, Vol.9 (1), p.63-71
Main Authors: Khamehchiyan, Mashallah, Rahimi Dizadji, Morteza, Esmaeili, Majid
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Assessments
block volume
Classification
Economics
excavatability
Excavation
Geotechnics
Rock
Rock (material)
Rock Mass index (RMi)
Sardasht dam
Surface chemistry
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Summary:Earthwork and surface excavation activities play an important role in construction projects. Selecting the best technique to loosen the overburden material within the surface excavation in open mining and geotechnical projects is of great importance from economical and technical viewpoints. Surface excavation includes direct digging, ripping and blasting. To select the most effective method and plan for excavation, geotechnical investigation is very important. It is also a big help in avoiding conflict between contractors and clients when they do not reach mutual agreement regarding the price of rock and soil excavation. There are many engineering classification systems used to assess rock masses for excavation purposes. All of these systems consider several geotechnical parameters to assess the earth masses. This study reviews these systems and then offers a new categorization based on the Rock Mass index (RMi) classification system and block volume to assess excavation in rock masses. The original dataset was obtained from the literature review as well as the surface excavation in Upper Gotvand dam and Hydro Power Plant (HPP). The offered system was also validated through the data extracted from the surface excavation in Sardasht dam and HPP in Iran.
ISSN:1748-6025
1748-6033
DOI:10.1080/17486025.2013.806996