406 Questions 2.7-2.10: geological setting
42.6 The quotation at the beginning of the Glossary of Geology is that:
”It is not really a mark of distinction for a geologist’s writing to be so
obscure that a glossary is required for its comprehension.” Discuss this
in the context of engineering rock mechanics.
42.7 When considering the geological setting for a rock engineering
project, would an engineer expect information relating to all potential
geological hazards to be available?42.8 In an article on geological and geotechnical investigations for tun-
nelling, Parker (1996) estimates that ”even comprehensive exploration
programs recover a relatively miniscule drill core volume, less than
0.0005% of the excavated volume of the tunnel”. Do you think that
sampling only this proportion of the rock mass is enough?42.9 A cavern (165 m long, 22 m wide and 15 m high) is to be excavated
in chalk strata beneath the sea. The crown of the cavern will be 35 m
below the seabed. What is the main geological information you would
like to have before proceeding with the excavation?42.10 The pre-existing stress state in a rock mass is caused by geological
processes and is often a critical factor for rock engineering. Why do you
think that quantifying the rock stress is important?