engineering

Rock Structure Rating

Rock Structure Rating is a engineering topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Rock Structure Rating rather than just read about it. In short: Rock Structure Rating (RSR) is a quantitative method for describing quality of a rock mass and appropriate ground support, in particular, for steel-rib support, developed by Wickham, Tiedemann and Skinner. The RSR concept introduced a rating system for rock masses.

Key takeaways

Rock Structure Rating belongs to engineering; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Rock Structure Rating to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Rock Structure Rating from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Rock Structure Rating (RSR) is a quantitative method for describing quality of a rock mass and appropriate ground support, in particular, for steel-rib support, developed by Wickham, Tiedemann and Skinner. The RSR concept introduced a rating system for rock masses. It was the sum of weighted values in this classification system. There are considered two general categories:

geotechnical parameters: rock type; joint pattern; joint orientations; type of discontinuities; major faults; shears and folds; rock material properties; weathering or alteration. and construction parameters: size of tunnel; direction of drive; method of excavation. The RSR value of any tunnel section is obtained by summing the weighted numerical values determined for each parameter. The RSR concept is a very useful method for selecting steel rib support for rock tunnels. As with any empirical approach one should not apply the concept beyond the range of the sufficient and reliable data used for developing it. For this reason the RSR concept is not recommended for selection of rock bolts and concrete support.

See also Core recovery parameters Hoek-Brown failure criterion Rock mass classification

References

Further reading Bieniawski, Z.T. (1989). Engineering Rock Mass Classifications. Wiley-Interscience. p. 272. ISBN 978-0-471-60172-2. Hack, H.R.G.K. (25–28 November 2002). "An evaluation of slope stability classification. Keynote Lecture.". In Dinis da Gama, C.; Ribeira e Sousa, L. (eds.). Proc. ISRM EUROCK’2002. Funchal, Madeira, Portugal: Sociedade Portuguesa de Geotecnia, Lisboa, Portugal. pp. 3–32. ISBN 972-98781-2-9. Pantelidis, L. (2009). "Rock slope stability assessment through rock mass classification systems". International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences. 46 (2): 315–325. Bibcode:2009IJRMM..46..315P. doi:10.1016/j.ijrmms.2008.06.003.

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Rock Structure Rating

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Rock Structure Rating claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In engineering, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Rock Structure Rating before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Rock Structure Rating ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Rock Structure Rating

In research: Rock Structure Rating appears in engineering research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Rock Structure Rating in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Rock Structure Rating is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Rock mass classification, Tunnel construction, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Rock Structure Rating outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Rock Structure Rating in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Rock Structure Rating means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Rock Structure Rating out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Rock Structure Rating in simple terms?

Why does Rock Structure Rating matter?

Because it connects several engineering ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Rock Structure Rating?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Rock Structure Rating.