Four major criteria to be considered and tested in relation to constructability:
EXCAVATABILITY
How much work will have to be done to remove the soil or rock material?
How much force will have to be applied to the rock by a mechanical bit, cutter or tool to break it?
How much explosive energy per cubic metre will be needed to break the rock?
ABRASIVITY
How much damage will the loosening of soils or the breaking or cutting of rock cause to excavating bits, tools, or cutters?
How much damage or wear will the transport of loosened or broken soil and rock cause to transportation equipment such as trucks, conveyors and pipelines?
STABILITY DURING AND IMMEDIATELY AFTER CONSTRUCTION
Will the rock fail before or during removal due to the magnitude of the natural stress field, relative to the rock’s strength properties?
Will the soil or rock material remaining in place be strong enough to support the slope tunnel, or excavated cavern, or will it have to be artificially strengthened, reinforced or supported?
LONG-TERM STABILITY AFTER CONSTRUCTION
What is the strength or yield stress of the rock under slow or sustained loading, by comparison with design values derived from quick laboratory tests?
How much non-elastic (viscous or plastic) creep deformation will the rock surrounding a tunnel or excavated cavern develop during the life of the project?
What additional loads will these irresistible deformations cause to the artificial support structures?
How much swelling pressure will the rock surrounding a tunnel or excavated cavern impose on the artificial support structures during the life of the project?
INDEPENDENT GEOTECHNICAL LABORATORY
Advance, Accredited Geotechnical Rock Laboratory Testing
Bamford Rock Testing Services will be closed from 4pm, 20th December until 8am on the 6th January 2025. We wish all our clients and suppliers a safe and happy Festive Season. Thank you all for your support throughout 2024. Looking forward to working more with......
Caption (from R to L). Professor Charlie Li of the University of Trondheim Norway, Professor Antonio Bobet of Purdue University USA, and Dr Ian Gray of Sigra, Brisbane in discussion with Dr Bill Bamford. BRTS was pleased to welcome several of the guest speakers for......
