NAME: MUHAMAD IZZAN BIN MARUPIN

MATRIX NO: 2017219236

GROUP: EC1102C

QUESTION 21
How do you classify intact rock in engineering based on the compressive strength?

Step 1
CLASSIFYING THE ROCK BASED ON UNIAXIAL COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH

1. Perform uniaxial compressive strength test on a cylindrical rock specimen having length to
diameter ratio of at least 2.

2. Based on the uniaxial compressive strength test result, the rock is classified as Class A, B, C,
D & E. the table given below was prepared by Deer & Miller to classify rock based on uniaxial
compressive strength.

Uniaxial
Class Name Description Compressive Rock Material
Strength (kg/cm2)

A Very high strength Over 2250 Quartzite, diabase,

basalt, majority of
igneous rocks,
 strong metamorphic
rocks.

Weakly cemented
sand stones, hard
B High strength 1125 to 2250 shales, majority of
limestones,
dolomites

Many shales, porous

sand stones and
limestones,
C Medium strength 562.5 to 1125
schistose, varieties
of metamorphic
rocks.

Porous, low density

D Low strength 281.25 to 562.5 rocks, friable stone,
tuff

Clay shale,
weathered &
E Very low strength < 281.25 chemically altered
rocks of any
lithology

Step 2
CLASSIFYING THE ROCK BASED ON MODULUS RATIO

1. From the stress-strain curve obtained from uniaxial compressive strength test, draw a
tangent at 50% ultimate compressive strength of rock & calculate the tangent modulus at
this point.

2. Then using the following formula, calculate modulus ratio

MR = Et50 / σult
Where,
MR = Modulus Ratio.
Et50 = Tangent modulus at 50% ultimate compressive strength of rock.
σult = Uniaxial ultimate compressive strength.
3. Based on modulus ratio, rock is classified as class H, M & L. After calculating modulus ratio,
use the table given below to classify rock based on modulus ratio.
 Class Description Value of Modulus Ratio

H High >500

M Medium (average) 200 to 500

L Low < 200

Step 3
COMBINING BOTH THE ABOVE CLASSIFICATIONS

In this step, we use both the above class designation to classify rock as AM, BH, CM etc.

For an example CM means medium strength and average of modulus ratio.

Diagrams
Videos
1. Index Properties of Rock and Rock Mass
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCIhchUuA_s

2. Uniaxial compressive strength test on granite

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ffqC-hkqRs

3. Laboratory Uniaxial compression test - Rock Mechanics – Granit

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yN9nrUIYmZw

4. Reservoir Geomechanics: Rock failure and triaxial testing, Geology related lecture
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3P_S8H4wfA

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