Sensitivities of report writing for weak-rock projects
Allen W. Hatheway
University of Missouri-Rolla, Department of Geological Engineering, Rolla, MO, United States
Weak rock is the natural realm of geological engineers and engineering geologists. We are the best equipped geotechnical professionals to deal effectively with these difficult and generally complex earth materials, and we have the obligation to produce the most informative technical reports possible in weak-rock assignments. Because of the strength-related problems of weak rock, we should remain cognizant of the need to emphasize several aspects of our reports. For this purpose weak rock occurs because of one or more strength-degrading considerations: 1. Weak to deleterious lithology; the latter imparting damaging characteristics to concretes and to rock utilized as rip-rap and other forms of shore protection. 2. Mineral alteration and/or weathering. 3. Intensely debilitating geologic structure, leading to unstable ground for surface cuts and structures and as host ground for underground openings. 4. Disruptive human action, mainly from mining, whereas the weak characteristics are those of the previously-mined ground.
This record provided courtesy of AGI/GeoRef.
