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Evaluating the Relationships Between NTNU/SINTEF Drillability Indices with Index Properties and Petrographic Data of Hard Igneous Rocks

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Abstract

Thorough and realistic performance predictions are among the main requisites for estimating excavation costs and time of the tunneling projects. Also, NTNU/SINTEF rock drillability indices, including the Drilling Rate Index™ (DRI), Bit Wear Index™ (BWI), and Cutter Life Index™ (CLI), are among the most effective indices for determining rock drillability. In this study, brittleness value (S20), Sievers’ J-Value (SJ), abrasion value (AV), and Abrasion Value Cutter Steel (AVS) tests are conducted to determine these indices for a wide range of Iranian hard igneous rocks. In addition, relationships between such drillability parameters with petrographic features and index properties of the tested rocks are investigated. The results from multiple regression analysis revealed that the multiple regression models prepared using petrographic features provide a better estimation of drillability compared to those prepared using index properties. Also, it was found that the semiautomatic petrography and multiple regression analyses provide a suitable complement to determine drillability properties of igneous rocks. Based on the results of this study, AV has higher correlations with studied mineralogical indices than AVS. The results imply that, in general, rock surface hardness of hard igneous rocks is very high, and the acidic igneous rocks have a lower strength and density and higher S20 than those of basic rocks. Moreover, DRI is higher, while BWI is lower in acidic igneous rocks, suggesting that drill and blast tunneling is more convenient in these rocks than basic rocks.

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Abbreviations

g :

Index of interlocking

t :

Index of grain size homogeneity

IS:

Saturation Index

IF:

Feldspathic Index

IC:

Coloration Index

ρ :

Dry density

ϕ :

Porosity

V p :

P-wave velocity

R N :

Schmidt rebound number

Is(50) :

Point load strength index

S20 :

Brittleness value

SJ:

Sievers’ J-Value

AV:

Abrasion Value

AVS:

Abrasion Value Cutter Steel

DRI:

Drilling Rate Index

BWI:

Bit Wear Index

CLI:

Cutter Life Index

VHNR:

Vickers Hardness Number Rock

™:

Trademark

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Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge Mr. Filip Dahl (SINTEF, Norway) for his useful documents and guidance upon the NTNU/SINTEF rock drillability test procedures and apparatus.

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  1. Department of Geology, Faculty of Science, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran

    Saeed Aligholi, Gholam Reza Lashkaripour, Mohammad Ghafoori & Sadegh Tarigh Azali

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  1. Saeed Aligholi
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  2. Gholam Reza Lashkaripour
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  3. Mohammad Ghafoori
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Correspondence to Gholam Reza Lashkaripour.

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Aligholi, S., Lashkaripour, G.R., Ghafoori, M. et al. Evaluating the Relationships Between NTNU/SINTEF Drillability Indices with Index Properties and Petrographic Data of Hard Igneous Rocks. Rock Mech Rock Eng 50, 2929–2953 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-017-1289-9

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