Engineering Rock Mechanics

Discussion 139

have described just the basic discontinuity geometry and behaviour here,
but all the developments are likely to be extensions of conventional
techniques (geometrical and mechanical) to allow for the idiosyncrasies of
rock fractures. As this work is progressively extended in an attempt to
provide more and more realistic representions of prototypical disconti-
nuities, the formulae must become more and more complicated, so that we
are progressing into an increasingly labyrinthine cul-de-sac.
The application of some of the newer mathematical and information
technology techniques such as fractals, chaos theory and object-oriented
programming for characterizing rock features may prove to be more
elegant, succinct and practical means of achieving the rock mechanics and
rock engineering objectives. It is essential in the long run that sume form
of simplified approach is developed, because all rock engineering problems
will involve some degree of coupling of the rock discontinuities, the stress
field, the water flow and the effects of construction (the interactions will
be discussed in Chapter 14). In some cases, it may be sufficient to have a
qualitative idea of the coupling; in other cases, such as radioactive waste
disposal, it is essential to have a quantitative prediction of the coupled
behaviour. This prediction will not be achieved by a complex extension of
current methods.