Rock mechanics is a theoretical and applied science of the mechanical behavior of rock and rock masses; compared to geology, it is that branch of

mechanics Mechanics (from Ancient Greek: μηχανική, ''mēkhanikḗ'', "of machines") is the area of mathematics and physics concerned with the relationships between force, matter, and motion among physical objects. Forces applied to objec ...

concerned with the response of rock and rock masses to the force fields of their physical environment.Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering
GrusSand

Background

Rock mechanics forms part of the much broader subject of geomechanics, which is concerned with the mechanical responses of all geological materials, including soils. Rock mechanics, as applied in

engineering geology Engineering geology is the application of geology to engineering study for the purpose of assuring that the geological factors regarding the location, design, construction, operation and maintenance of engineering works are recognized and acc ...

mining Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the Earth, usually from an ore body, lode, vein, seam, reef, or placer deposit. The exploitation of these deposits for raw material is based on the econom ...

, petroleum, and

civil engineering Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including public works such as roads, bridges, canals, dams, airports, sewa ...

practice, is concerned with the application of the principles of engineering mechanics to the design of the rock structures generated by mining, drilling, reservoir production, or civil construction activity such as tunnels, mining shafts, underground excavations, open pit mines, oil and gas wells,

geothermal energy Geothermal energy is the thermal energy in the Earth's crust which originates from the formation of the planet and from radioactive decay of materials in currently uncertain but possibly roughly equal proportions. The high temperature and pr ...

systems, road cuts, waste repositories, and other structures built in or of rock. It also includes the design of reinforcement systems, such as

rock bolt A rock bolt is a long anchor bolt, for stabilizing rock excavations, which may be used in tunnels or rock cuts. It transfers load from the unstable exterior to the confined (and much stronger) interior of the rock mass. Rock bolts were first use ...

ing patterns.

* SMR classification Rock mechanics is a theoretical and applied science of the mechanical behavior of rock and rock masses; it is that branch of mechanics concerned with the response of rock and rock masses to the force fields of their physical environment. Rock mechanics is concerned with the application of the principles of engineering mechanics to the design of structures built in or of rock. The structure could include-but not limited to- a drill hole, a mining shaft, a tunnel, a reservoir dam, a repository component, or a building. Rock mechanics is used in many engineering disciplines, but primarily used in Mining, Civil, Geotechnical, Transportation, and Petroleum Engineering.

References

* * Brady, B.H.G., Brown, E.T. (1999), ''Rock Mechanics For Underground Mining,'' Kluwer Academic Publishers. * Coates, D F. (1981) "Rock Mechanics Principles." Canada: Monograph 874. {{Authority control Petrology Soil mechanics Mining engineering

Background

See also

References