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Book: Rock Engineering for Concrete Dam Foundations

There are several traditional, widely used empirical methods for estimating TBM performance, all developed from data recorded in real tunnelling projects. As with any empirical approach, these methods must be applied with care—particularly when geological, geotechnical, or machine conditions differ from those on which the models were originally based. Nevertheless, they can still offer a useful indication of the expected performance range for a selected TBM. In our 2012 paper

You can use this spreadsheet to calculate the shear strength of rock discontinuities using Barton equation. The concept behind this approach has been presented in the book (first post in this website).

This test was once commonly included in site investigation programs for concrete dams. The historical data obtained from these tests have proven valuable for understanding the shear strength of rock discontinuities at a larger scale.

Rock mass deformability modulus is preferably determined from results of in situ tests, such as large flat jacks or borehole dilatometer tests. Since in-situ rock testing has become less common in recent years, the presentation in this post offers a comprehensive overview of traditional in-situ testing methods used to determine the deformability modulus of rock masses. This post is intended to help readers recall the origins and context of the empirical databases from which m