TUNNEL EVALUATION IN CROCKER FORMATION BY GEOLOGICAL STRENGTH INDEX (GSI) SYSTEM: A CASE STUDY

This study was conducted to determine the value of Geological Strength Index (GSI), to predict rock mass properties, very unfavourable discontinuities combination and tunnel support pressure for rock bolts or shotcrete and to determine the suitability of GSI for a tunnel in Crocker Formation. Engi...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Lee Kiun You, Ismail Abd Rahim
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Zibeline International 2018-08-01
Series:Geological Behavior
Subjects:
Online Access:https://geologicalbehavior.com/archives/2gbr2018/2gbr2018-21-24.pdf
_version_ 1811287141966151680
author Lee Kiun You
Ismail Abd Rahim
author_facet Lee Kiun You
Ismail Abd Rahim
author_sort Lee Kiun You
collection DOAJ
description This study was conducted to determine the value of Geological Strength Index (GSI), to predict rock mass properties, very unfavourable discontinuities combination and tunnel support pressure for rock bolts or shotcrete and to determine the suitability of GSI for a tunnel in Crocker Formation. Engineering geological mapping and discontinuity survey was done along the tunnel face as well as rock sampling. GSI values and the disturbance factor were obtained from field observation on the tunnel face. Point load and dry density test was conducted to determine the Uniaxial Compressive Strength (UCS) and unit weight, respectively. The rock mass properties, kinematic analysis and limit equilibrium analysis was used to determine the factor of safety (F.O.S) and pressure to stabilise the tunnel. The rock mass was characterised by 94.88 MPa UCS, 0.024 MN/m3 unit weight, widely space and high persistency. The GSI value is 50 with 0.8 disturbance factor. The cohesion, friction angle and tensile strength are 3.671 MPa, 25.20° and 0.056 MPa respectively. The friction angle was reduced by 5° due to lower shear strength of bedding plane. There are eight possibilities of discontinuities combinations on tunnel crown that have F.O.S lower than 2 and combination of joints 2, 4 and 6 has the maximum wedge volume of 28.37 m3. The maximum support pressure of rock bolts or shotcrete for F.O.S of 2 at the tunnel crown is 0.04 MN. The high F.O.S value may have been due to the overestimation of friction angle and cohesion of discontinuity plane. Then, this study shows that GSI system is unsuitable for the tunnel in study area which behave as anisotropic and structurally controls rock mass, but if needed, the values of rock mass properties, discontinuities combination and support pressure can be used for tunnel design.
first_indexed 2024-04-13T03:12:25Z
format Article
id doaj.art-cf5ad172d19f4df3b45548ad783efb65
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2521-0890
2521-0491
language English
last_indexed 2024-04-13T03:12:25Z
publishDate 2018-08-01
publisher Zibeline International
record_format Article
series Geological Behavior
spelling doaj.art-cf5ad172d19f4df3b45548ad783efb652022-12-22T03:05:00ZengZibeline InternationalGeological Behavior2521-08902521-04912018-08-0122212410.26480/gbr.02.2018.21.24TUNNEL EVALUATION IN CROCKER FORMATION BY GEOLOGICAL STRENGTH INDEX (GSI) SYSTEM: A CASE STUDYLee Kiun YouIsmail Abd RahimThis study was conducted to determine the value of Geological Strength Index (GSI), to predict rock mass properties, very unfavourable discontinuities combination and tunnel support pressure for rock bolts or shotcrete and to determine the suitability of GSI for a tunnel in Crocker Formation. Engineering geological mapping and discontinuity survey was done along the tunnel face as well as rock sampling. GSI values and the disturbance factor were obtained from field observation on the tunnel face. Point load and dry density test was conducted to determine the Uniaxial Compressive Strength (UCS) and unit weight, respectively. The rock mass properties, kinematic analysis and limit equilibrium analysis was used to determine the factor of safety (F.O.S) and pressure to stabilise the tunnel. The rock mass was characterised by 94.88 MPa UCS, 0.024 MN/m3 unit weight, widely space and high persistency. The GSI value is 50 with 0.8 disturbance factor. The cohesion, friction angle and tensile strength are 3.671 MPa, 25.20° and 0.056 MPa respectively. The friction angle was reduced by 5° due to lower shear strength of bedding plane. There are eight possibilities of discontinuities combinations on tunnel crown that have F.O.S lower than 2 and combination of joints 2, 4 and 6 has the maximum wedge volume of 28.37 m3. The maximum support pressure of rock bolts or shotcrete for F.O.S of 2 at the tunnel crown is 0.04 MN. The high F.O.S value may have been due to the overestimation of friction angle and cohesion of discontinuity plane. Then, this study shows that GSI system is unsuitable for the tunnel in study area which behave as anisotropic and structurally controls rock mass, but if needed, the values of rock mass properties, discontinuities combination and support pressure can be used for tunnel design.https://geologicalbehavior.com/archives/2gbr2018/2gbr2018-21-24.pdfGeological Strength Index (GSI)tunnelCrocker Formationlimit equilibrium analysis
spellingShingle Lee Kiun You
Ismail Abd Rahim
TUNNEL EVALUATION IN CROCKER FORMATION BY GEOLOGICAL STRENGTH INDEX (GSI) SYSTEM: A CASE STUDY
Geological Behavior
Geological Strength Index (GSI)
tunnel
Crocker Formation
limit equilibrium analysis
title TUNNEL EVALUATION IN CROCKER FORMATION BY GEOLOGICAL STRENGTH INDEX (GSI) SYSTEM: A CASE STUDY
title_full TUNNEL EVALUATION IN CROCKER FORMATION BY GEOLOGICAL STRENGTH INDEX (GSI) SYSTEM: A CASE STUDY
title_fullStr TUNNEL EVALUATION IN CROCKER FORMATION BY GEOLOGICAL STRENGTH INDEX (GSI) SYSTEM: A CASE STUDY
title_full_unstemmed TUNNEL EVALUATION IN CROCKER FORMATION BY GEOLOGICAL STRENGTH INDEX (GSI) SYSTEM: A CASE STUDY
title_short TUNNEL EVALUATION IN CROCKER FORMATION BY GEOLOGICAL STRENGTH INDEX (GSI) SYSTEM: A CASE STUDY
title_sort tunnel evaluation in crocker formation by geological strength index gsi system a case study
topic Geological Strength Index (GSI)
tunnel
Crocker Formation
limit equilibrium analysis
url https://geologicalbehavior.com/archives/2gbr2018/2gbr2018-21-24.pdf
work_keys_str_mv AT leekiunyou tunnelevaluationincrockerformationbygeologicalstrengthindexgsisystemacasestudy
AT ismailabdrahim tunnelevaluationincrockerformationbygeologicalstrengthindexgsisystemacasestudy