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Evaluation of the Integrity of Deep Rock Masses Using Results of Digital Borehole Televiewers

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Abstract

Rock mass integrity is regarded as an important index to evaluate rock mass quality. Core drilling technology is one of the effective methods used for this. To overcome the problem of core discing and core breakage from the drilling process, a new evaluation method was proposed: a rock mass integrity index (RMIBT) based on high-definition digital borehole televiewer data. The RMIBT values were obtained by measuring the mass proportions of the length of the rock mass without macroscopic fractures on the borehole wall. Their scoring criteria were determined based on rock quality designation. It was applied in multiple deep rock excavations and therefore proved to be useful, especially where core discing occurs, in specific spatial distributions of structural planes, as well as logging errors from core breakages induced by drilling. In addition, the RMIBT can be used to assess dynamically the integrity of macroscopic rock masses and the evolution of fractures in the excavation damaged zone, thus providing a basis for the evaluation of rock masses in deep rock excavations.

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Acknowledgements

The work is financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grants Nos. 41320104005, 11232024 and 51579043), and the State Key Research Development Program of China (Grant No. 2016YFC0600702). The authors appreciate the value added through discussion of the work with Dr. Ya-Xun Xiao.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education on Safe Mining of Deep Metal Mines, Northeastern University, Shenyang, 110819, China

    Hao-Sen Guo, Xia-Ting Feng, Cheng-Xiang Yang & Zhi-Bin Yao

  2. State Key Laboratory of Geomechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, Institute of Rock and Soil Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China

    Xia-Ting Feng & Shao-Jun Li

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  1. Hao-Sen Guo
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  2. Xia-Ting Feng
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  3. Shao-Jun Li
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  4. Cheng-Xiang Yang
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  5. Zhi-Bin Yao
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Correspondence to Xia-Ting Feng.

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Guo, HS., Feng, XT., Li, SJ. et al. Evaluation of the Integrity of Deep Rock Masses Using Results of Digital Borehole Televiewers. Rock Mech Rock Eng 50, 1371–1382 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-017-1173-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-017-1173-7

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