Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

An analysis of the action of dowels on the stabilization of rock blocks on underground excavation walls

  • Published:
Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

Underground excavation in fractured rock masses can lead to instability of rock blocks on its perimeter. Among the stabilization measures that are often used, dowels or passive bolts play an important role. These passive reinforcement measures cannot, however, be easily considered in simplified calculation techniques based on the Limit Equilibrium Method (LEM). The analysis of such elements cannot be separated from rock-dowel interaction following the displacement of the block.

A new simplified calculation procedure is presented in this paper for the analysis of the interaction between rock and dowels on walls of an underground excavation where potentially sliding rock blocks are present. The assumed interaction scheme is, however, partial in that dowel reinforcement is only activated by a small displacement, while this displacement does not induce a destressing of the rock block. Such a procedure allows a fast dimensioning of the dowels, considering the maximum stabilizing force that they are able to apply to the block without reaching a critical condition with reference to dowel failure or to its connection to the rock.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Barla G, Jarre P (1988) Progettazione geotecnica degli interventi, Secondo Ciclo di Conferenze di Meccanica e Ingegneria delle Rocce – MIR88 – Pendii naturali e fronti di scavo. In: Barla G (ed) Politecnico di Torino, Dip. to Ingegneria Strutturale, pp 13.1–13.32

  • N Barton R Lien J Lunde (1974) ArticleTitleEngineering classification of rockmasses for the design of tunnel support Rock Mech 6 IssueID4 189–236 Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF01239496

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • ZT Bieniawski (1989) Engineering Rock Mass Classifications John Wiley & Sons Canada 251

    Google Scholar 

  • BHG Brady JW Bray (1978) ArticleTitleThe boundary element method for determining stresses and displacemenets around long openings in a triaxial stress field Int J Rock Mech Min Sci Geomech Abstr 15 21–28 Occurrence Handle10.1016/0148-9062(78)90718-0

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • BHG Brady ET Brown (1985) Rock Mechanics for Undergrounf Mining Allen & Unwin London 527

    Google Scholar 

  • Cundall PA (1971) A computer model for simulating progressive large scale movements in blocky rock system. Proc. of International Symposium on Rock Fracture, ISRM, Nancy, Paper II-8

  • Egger P, Zabusky L (1991) Behaviour of rough bolted joints in direct shear tests. 7th ISRM Conference, Aachen, Germany, pp 1285–1288

  • M Ferrero (1995) ArticleTitleThe shear strength of reinforced rock joints Int J Rock Mech Min Sci Geomech Abstr 32 595–605 Occurrence Handle10.1016/0148-9062(95)00002-X

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • R Frank SR Zhao (1982) ArticleTitleEstimation par les parameters pressiométriques de l’enfoncement sous charge axiale de pieux forés dans des sols fins Bull Liaison Lapo P et Ch, 119 17–24

    Google Scholar 

  • CM Gerrad CN Pande (1985) ArticleTitleNumerical modelling of reinforced rock masses: I Theory Comput Geotech 1 293–318 Occurrence Handle10.1016/0266-352X(85)90005-9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • RE Goodman GH Shi (1985) Block theory and its application to rock engineering Prentice-Hall London 338

    Google Scholar 

  • C Gonzales-Palacio A Menedez-Diaz AE Alvarez-Vigil C Gonzales-Nicieza (2005) ArticleTitleIdentification of non-pyramidal blocks in jointed rock masses for tunnel excavation Comput Geotech 32 179–200 Occurrence Handle10.1016/j.compgeo.2005.01.004

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • G Grasselli (2005) ArticleTitle3D behaviour of bolted rock joints: experimental and numerical study Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 42 13–24 Occurrence Handle10.1016/j.ijrmms.2004.06.003

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • M Grenon J Hadjigeorgiou (2003) ArticleTitleDrift reinforcement design based on discontinuity network modelling Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 40 833–845 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S1365-1609(03)00044-3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grimstad E, Barton N (1993) Updating the Q-system for NMT. Proc Int Symp on Sprayed Concrete – Modern use of wet mix sprayed concrete for underground support. In: Fagernes K. (ed) Opsahll and Berg, Norwegian Geotechnical Association, Oslo, Norway, 21 pp

  • Hoek E (2000) Rock Engineering, Course notes by Evert Hoek. www.rocscience.com/hoek/PracticalRockEngineering.asp, 313 pp

  • Hoek E, Bray JW (1981) Rock Slope Engineering. Instn Min Metall London, 358 pp

  • Hudson JA, Harrison JP (1997) Engineering rock mechanics, an Introduction to Principles, Pergamon, 444 p

  • Itasca Consulting Group (2004) FLAC User’s Manual. www.itascacg.com

  • Itasca Consulting Group (2004) UDEC User’s Manual. www.itascacg.com

  • R Lancellotta J Cavalera (1999) Fondazioni Mc Graw Hill Milano

    Google Scholar 

  • LJ Lorig (1985) ArticleTitleA simple numerical representation of fully bonded passive rock reinforcement for hard rocks Comput Geotech 1 79–97 Occurrence Handle10.1016/0266-352X(85)90029-1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MATLAB, The MathWorks. www.mathworks.com

  • PP Nomikos AI Sofianos CE Tsoutrelis (2002) ArticleTitleSymmetric wedge in the roof of a tunnel excavated in an inclined stress field Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 39 IssueID1 59–67 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S1365-1609(02)00013-8

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • PP Nomikos PV Youta-Mitra AI Sofianos (2006) ArticleTitleStability of asymmetric roof wedge under non-symmetric loading Rock Mech Rock Engng 39 IssueID2 121–129 Occurrence Handle10.1007/s00603-005-0058-3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • SD Priest (1985) Hemispherical Projection Methods in Rock Mechanics Allen & Unwin London 124

    Google Scholar 

  • RocScience (2003) Unwedge User’s Manual. www.rocscience.com

  • L Siad (2001) ArticleTitleStability analysis of jointed rock slopes reinforced by passive, fully grouted bolts Comput Geotech 28 325–347 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0266-352X(01)00004-0

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • AI Sofianos (1986) ArticleTitleStability of wedges in tunnel roofs Int J Rock Mech Min Sci Geomech Abstr 23 IssueID2 119–130 Occurrence Handle10.1016/0148-9062(86)90338-4

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • AI Sofianos PP Nomikos CE Tsoutrelis (1999) ArticleTitleStability of symmetric wedge formed in the roof of a circular tunnel: non-hydrostatic natural stress field Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 36 IssueID5 687–691 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0148-9062(99)00033-9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Windsor CR, Thompson AG (1993) Rock reinforcement – technology, testing, design and evaluation. In “Comprehensive Rock Engineering”, Vol. 4, Chapt. 16, pp 451–484

  • CR Windsor (1997) ArticleTitleRock reinforcement systems Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 34 IssueID6 919–951 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0148-9062(97)00268-4

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • JL Yow RE Goodman (1987) ArticleTitleA ground reaction curve based upon block theory Rock Mech Rock Engng 20 167–190 Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF01020367

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • OC Zienkiewicz GN Pande (1977) ArticleTitleTime dependent multi-laminate model of rocks – a numerical study of deformation and failure of rock masses Int J Num Anal Meth Geomech 1 219–247 Occurrence Handle10.1002/nag.1610010302

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Land, Environment and Geotechnology Engineering, Politecnico di Torino, Torino, Italy

    P. P. Oreste

  2. Istituto di Geologia Ambientale e Geoingegneria – CNR, Torino, Italy

    M. Cravero

Authors
  1. P. P. Oreste
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. M. Cravero
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to P. P. Oreste.

Additional information

Correspondence: Dr. Pierpaolo Oreste, Politecnico di Torino, DITAG, C. so Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Torino, Italy

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Oreste, P., Cravero, M. An analysis of the action of dowels on the stabilization of rock blocks on underground excavation walls. Rock Mech Rock Eng 41, 835–868 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-008-0162-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-008-0162-2

Search

Navigation