Abstract
As a result of civilization, a lot of underground and surface structures have been constructed on or within complex rocks such as mélange and lahars. There are many engineering problems related to this group of rocks called block-in-matrix rocks (bimrock). In the literature, the more important parameter controlling the geomechanical characteristics of bimrocks is volumetric block proportion (VBP), and there is much uncertainty related to estimated VBP applying sieve or image analysis. So, in this research, to develop a relation between the VBP and ultrasonic wave velocities and find how the fractal dimension and maximum block size affect the P and S wave velocities, 90 large-scale cubic samples were fabricated and the P and S wave velocities were measured in three perpendicular directions inside the physical samples. The fabricated samples were almost isotropic, and there was a direct relation between ultrasonic wave velocities and VBP. The difference between the evaluated VBP and the real one was in the range of −10 to +15% when the real VBP was equal or less than 60% and up to +25% when the real VBP was equal to 75%. In general, the fractal dimension had an indirect relation with ultrasonic velocities and there was no dominant trend for ultrasonic wave velocity variation versus the maximum block size.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Afifipour M, Moarefvand P (2014a) Experimental study of post-peak behavior of bimrocks with high rock block proportions. J Cent South Univ 21:761–767
Afifipour M, Moarefvand P (2014b) Mechanical behavior of bimrocks having high rock block proportion. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 65:40–48
Altınsoy H (2006) A physical based model investigation for determination of shear strength of block in matrix rocks. Hacettepe University, Geo Eng Dept, Ankara, MSc thesis
American Society for Testing and Materials, ASTM C 192–88 (2007) Standard practice for making and curing concrete test specimens in the laboratory. ASTM International, West Conshohocken
American Society for Testing and Materials, ASTM D2938-95 (2002) Standard test method for unconfined compressive strength of intact rock core specimens. ASTM International, West Conshohocken
An LJ, Sammis CG (1994) Particle size distribution of cataclastic fault material from Southern California: a 3-D study. Pure Appl Geophys 143:203–227
Andriani GF, Walsh N (2002) Physical properties and textural parameters of calcarenitic rocks: qualitative and quantitative evaluations. Eng Geol 67(1):5–15
Archambault G, Daigneault R, Rouleau A, Tavchandjian O, (1990) Mechanics of shear zones and fault belts development by anastomosing patterns of fractures at all scales, Mechanics of jointed rock. Rossmanith (ed), Rotterdam: AA Balkema, pp197–204
Biegel RL, Sammis CG (1989) The frictional properties of a simulated gouge having a fractal particle distribution. J Struct Geol 11:827–846
Billi A, Storti F (2004) Fractal distributions of particle size in carbonate cataclastic rocks from the core of a regional strike slip fault. Tectonophysics 384:115–128
Boone SJ, Westland J, Busbridge JR, Garrod B (1998) Prediction of boulder obstructions. In: Proceedings tunnel and metropolises, Negro & Ferreira eds. AA Balkema, Rotterdam, pp 817–822
Button E, Riedmüller G, Schubert W, Klima K, Medley E (2004) Tunnelling in tectonic melanges: accommodating the impacts of geomechanical complexities and anisotropic rock mass fabrics. B Eng Geol Environ 63(2):109–117
Coli N, Berry P, Boldini D (2011) In situ non-conventional shear tests for the mechanical characterisation of a bimrock. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 48:95–102
Dong W, Pimentel E, Anagnostou G (2013) Experimental investigations into the mechanical behaviour of the breccias around the proposed gibraltar strait tunnel. Rock Mech Rock Eng 46:923–944
Gao W, Hu R, Oyediran AI, Li Z, Zhang X (2014) Geomechanical characterization of zhangmu soil-rock mixture deposit. Geotech Geol Eng 32:1329–1338
Goodman RE, Ahlgren CS (2000) Evaluating safety of concrete gravity dam on weak rock: Scott Dam. J Geotech Geoenviron 126(5):429–442
Graziani A, Rossini C, Rotonda T (2012) Characterization and DEM modeling of shear zones at a large dam foundation. Int J Geomech 12(6):648–664
Hadizadeh J, Johnson W (2003) Estimating local strain due to comminution in experimental cataclastic textures. J Struct Geol 25:1973–1979
Hecht CA, Bonsch C, Bauch E (2005) Relations of rock structure and composition to petrophysical and geomechanical rock properties: examples from Permocarboniferous red-beds. Rock Mech Rock Eng 38:197–216
Heilbronner R, Keulen N (2006) Grain size and grain shape analysis of fault rocks. Tectonophysics 427(1–4):199–216
Huang S, Ding X, Zhang Y, Cheng W (2015) Triaxial test and mechanical analysis of rock-soil aggregate sampled from natural sliding mass. Adv Mater Sci Eng. doi:10.1155/238095
International Society for Rock Mechanics (1979) Suggested methods for determining the uniaxial compressive strength and deformability of rock materials: part 1. Suggested method for determining of the uniaxial compressive strength of rock materials. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci Geomech Abstr 16(2):137
Irfan TY, Tang KY (1993) Effect of the coarse fraction on the shear strength of colluvium in Hong Kong, Hong Kong Geotech Eng Office, TN 4/92
Jiang J, Xiang W, Rohn J, Schleier M, Pan J, Zhang W (2016) Research on mechanical parameters of coarse-grained sliding soil based on CT scanning and numerical tests. Landslides 13(5):1261–1272
Kahraman S, Alber M, Fener M, Gunaydin O (2008) Evaluating the geomechanical properties of Misis fault breccia (Turkey). Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 45:1469–1479
Lindquist ES, Goodman RE (1994) The strength and deformation properties of a physical model mélange. In: Nelson PP, Laubach SE, Austin TX (eds) Proceedings of the First North American Rock Mechanics Conference (NARMS). AA Balkema, Rotterdam
Medley E (2001) Orderly characterization of chaotic Franciscan Melanges. Felsbau Rock Soil Eng 4:20–33
Medley E (2002) Estimating block size distributions of mélanges and similar block-in matrix rocks (bimrocks). In: Hammah R, Bawden W, Curran J, Telesnicki M (eds) Proceedings of 5th North American Rock Mechanics Symposium (NARMS). University of Toronto Press, Toronto, Canada, pp 509–606
Medley E, Lindquist ES (1995) The engineering significance of the scale independence of some Franciscan mélanges in California, USA. In: Daemen JK, Schultz RA (eds) Proceedings of the 35th US Rock Mechanics Symposium. AA Balkema, Reno, pp 907–914
Medley E, Wakabayashi J (2004) Geological characterization of mélanges for practitioners. Felsbau Rock Soil Eng 22(5):10–18
Medley EW (1994) PhD thesis. The engineering characterization of melanges and similar block-in-matrix rocks (bimrocks). University of California at Berkeley, California. UMI, Inc., Ann Arbor
Medley EW (1997) Uncertainty in estimates of block volumetric proportions in melange bimrock. In: Marinos PG, Koukis GC, Tsiambaos GC, Stournaras GC (eds) Proceedings of the international symposium on engineering geology and the environment. Balkema, Rotterdam, pp 267–272
Medley EW, Zekkos D (2011) Geopractitioner approaches to working with antisocial mélanges. Geol S Am S 480:261–277
Mort K, Woodcock NH (2008) Quantifying fault breccia geometry: Dent Fault, NW England. J Struct Geol 30:701–709
Ovesen NK (1997) Geotechnical aspects of the Storebaelt project. In: Proceedings of the 14th International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering. AA Balkema, Hamburg, pp 2097–2014
Proceq (2014) Operating instruction of Pundit lab+ ultrasonic instrument. Switzerland
Sanchidrian JA, Segarra P, Ouchterlony F, Lopez LM (2009) On the accuracy of fragment size measurement by image analysis in combination with some distribution functions. Rock Mech Rock Eng 42:95–116
Shafiei A, Dusseault MB (2008) Geomechanical properties of a conglomerate from Iran. In 42nd US Rock Mechanics Symposium and 2nd U.S.-Canada Rock Mechanics Symposium, San Francisco, ARMA 08-053
Shaorui S, Penglei X, Jimin W, Jihong W, Wengan F, Jin L, Kanungo DP (2014) A strength parameter identification and application of soil–rock mixture for steep-walled talus slopes in southwestern China. B Eng Geol Environ 73:123–140
Sonmez H, Kasapoglu KE, Coskun A, Tunusluglu C, Medley EW, Zimmerman RW (2009) A conceptual empirical approach for the overall strength of unwelded bimrocks. In ISRM Regional Symposium, Rock Engineering in Difficult Ground Condition, Soft Rock and Karst, Dubrovnik, Croatia
Tsesarsky M, Hazan M, Gal E (2016) Estimating the elastic moduli and isotropy of block in matrix (bim) rocks by computational homogenization. Eng Geol 200:58–65
Vallejo LE, Mawby R (2000) Porosity influence on the shear strength of granular material-clay mixtures. Eng Geol 58:125–136
Xie H, Pariseau WG (1993) Fractal character and mechanism of rock bursts. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci Geomech Abstr 30:343–350
Xu WJ, Xu Q, Hu RL (2011) Study on the shear strength of soil–rock mixture by large scale direct shear test. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 48:1235–1247
Yasir E, Tolgay A (2010) Industrial use of conglomerate from the Kayranlik Mountains, Turkey. B Eng Geol Environ 69:583–586
Zhang LM, ASCE M, Li X (2010) Microporosity structure of coarse granular soils. J Geotech Geoeniron 136:1425–1436
Zhang S, Jiang L (2015) Soil/rock threshold of colluvial-deluvial soil-rock mixture based on numerical experiment. EJGE 20(2):761–776
Zhang S, Tang H, Zhan H, Lei G, Cheng H (2015) Investigation of scale effect of numerical unconfined compression strengths of virtual colluvial–deluvial soil–rock mixture. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 77:208–219
Zhou JW, Yang XG, Yang ZH (2015) Determination methods for shear strength parameters of rock-soil mixtures using close range photogrammetric and 3D limit equilibrium theory. J Mt Sci 12(5):1068–1083
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Mahdevari, S., Maarefvand, P. Applying ultrasonic waves to evaluate the volumetric block proportion of bimrocks. Arab J Geosci 10, 204 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-017-2999-8
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-017-2999-8