Program Overview

Applied Rock Engineering

The Applied Rock Engineering program focuses on the analysis and design of engineered rock structures with applications in civil engineering, quarrying, and open pit mining.

Program Description

In this module, students will learn:

• How to describe rocks and soils in the context of investigation and as geological hazards
• The controls and characteristics of mineral construction raw materials
• Testing techniques for rock materials and aggregates
• Hard and soft ground excavation techniques
• The properties of rock materials and mass
• Types of failures of rock structures
• Techniques for stabilising rock structures
• How to evaluate and analyse failures in rock structures

Learning Outcomes

After completing this module, students will have:

• Fluency in description of rocks and soils in the field, in the context of investigation for engineering purposes - geological hazards
• Knowledge of geological controls on and variability in characteristics of mineral construction raw materials
• Knowledge of testing techniques for rock materials and aggregates
• Hard and soft ground excavation techniques for shallow and deep excavations
• Understanding the role of rock material properties versus rock mass properties in controlling behaviour and failure
• Understanding and interpretation of types of failures of rock structures for various applications
• Understanding of techniques for stabilising rock structures
• Understanding of techniques for evaluation and analysis of some types of failures in rock structures (before and after remediation)
• Fluency in identifying geological materials and hazards in relation to the extractive and construction industry
• Fluency in interpretation of laboratory test results for rocks and aggregates
• Fluency in reserve estimation
• Fluency in problem solving and application of appropriate analytical techniques for the analysis and design of rock structures

Course Agenda

Teaching on this module will include:

• Lectures
• Reading
• Practical sessions
• Tutorials
• Fieldwork