A brief background to the development of the ROCK ENGINEERING design process is given, showing that since the development of the science of mathematics, deterministic methods have been used to perform various calculations. The variability of ROCK properties and support characteristics have always been known. However, they were not explicitly used in design but compensated for by the use of a safety factor, i.e. making a design more stringent than required by the calculations. The problem with this procedure is that the effect of increasing a safety factor on the overall stability of the design cannot be known because the range of variability is not incorporated in the design. The only way to overcome this problem is to make use of the science of probability. In doing that, the ranges of ROCK qualities are explicitly included in the design and the probability of failure is exposed. Examples of common ROCK ENGINEERING calculations in mining are provided, showing that the probabilistic designs are not difficult or time consuming to perform and yield much more useful outcomes than merely using a safety factor.

Assessment of ROCK mass caveability is one of the important factors in the success of the block-caving mining. prediction of ROCK mass caveability is complicated due to the wide range of effective factors and the lack of complete knowledge of the impact of each factor on the ROCK mass caveability. Existing methods do not consider all the factors affecting the caveability process. This study uses the ROCK ENGINEERING systems (RES) approach to assess the ROCK mass caveability. After the implementation of the ROCK ENGINEERING system and ranking the influencing factors, the caveability index for selected mines was calculated. The results of this study have shown the sufficiency of RES approach in taking into account of all effective parameters.Introduction: In mining methods based on caving of ore such as block caving and sublevel caving, caveability of ore and surrounding ROCKs is of great importance. If the caveability of ore, would not properly evaluated it will impose high cost and losing of time on mining companies. A major challenge in developing of existing caveability predicting methods is the taking into account of the values related to geomechanical, environmental, geometric and operational factors of ROCK mass, with a simple yet efficient method.Methodology and Approaches: RES is a powerful system approach to study the effect of influencing factors on the performance of an ENGINEERING system. The first step of the method is to establish interaction matrix and coding of the matrix. The principal factors considered relevant to the caveability have listed along the leading diagonal of a square matrix and off-diagonal terms have been coded by ESQ method. Then by Using RES approach the effective parameters on caveability have ranked. In the next step caveability index of Elteniente, Kemess and Ironcap mines, determined and compared with the results of well-known experimental methods, as the Laubscher caving chart, the extended Mattew’s stability graph and Stewart and Forsyth methods.Results and Conclusions: The results of this study have shown that Geomechanical factors are the most dominant and geometric factors are the most subordinate factors in the system. In addition, geomechanical and environmental factors have the highest and the least interaction on the system, respectively. Furthermore, although the hydraulic radius is different in experimental methods, but follows the same trend and there is a good agreement between the results of ROCK ENGINEERING systems and experimental methods there. At last a classification for the caveability index has introduced.

Introduction: Up to now, various indexes and methods have been presented for evaluating the abrasivity of ROCKs. In total, these methods can be divided to two main groups; the methods based on nature of ROCKs, methods based on heuristic tools. Schimazek F-abrasivity index is one of the most powerful and applicable indexes for evaluating the ROCK abrasiveness. This index uses the grain size, Brazilian tensile strength and equivalent quartz content for abrasivity analysis. Since the values of these parameters are equal in Schimazek index, therefore, in some cases this index doesn't have suitable ability to distinguish and classify the ROCK abrasiveness. This paper tries to modify the Schimazek index considering the weights of its applied parameters.

In ROCK ENGINEERING practice, understanding the most effective parameters and their relationships is important in order to obtain an optimum ENGINEERING design. The applications of ROCK ENGINEERING system (RES) in the analysis of complicated ROCK ENGINEERING processes have been widespread. In this method, the main parameters are located along the diagonal of the matrix, and their interactions are quantified by assigning values in the off-diagonal elements. Then, this matrix is used to assess the amount of cause and effect of each parameter within the whole system. In this paper, a ROCK ENGINEERING systems is constructed where the coding of the matrix is made using fuzzy mathematics. This system is used to analyze the stability of the water transmit tunnel of Seymareh Dam within the crushed zone of Graben ROCKs. The results are compared to those of the ROCK mass classification systems. It is observed that the bedding and falts are the two major factors of instability. Using the new method, the Graben ROCK is classified in group III, i.e. moderately stable ROCK, which is close to what predicted using ROCK classification system.

The Zahedan granitoids, which pertain to an arid to semiarid region, have been studied. Those granite ROCKs without a cover of Quaternary sediments are exposed directly to dry and warm climate. The characteristic conditions of southeastern Iran perform a major role in the amount of ROCK demolition and weathering and in the formation of special morphologic forms. Samples have been taken from the granite massive. Hand samples and microscopic thin sections show that they have relatively medium grain size and are of bright color. The major minerals are well-formed biotite, abundant quartz and zonal plagioclase. Dykes and stock intrusion are the main characteristics of these ROCKs. Due to the contact with intrusions and granitoids, most of the host ROCKs have been changed into hornfels and schists. The green schists are contact concordant and as host ROCKs have an excessive spread. All stages of weathering processes, i.e. physical, chemical and down to soil building, can be observed here. Another specific feature is the existence of dark and fine- grained enclaves in ROCKs. The ROCKs show signs of granoporphyrit-microgranular structures in microscopic thin sections. There is plentiful biotite in ROCKs.Part of the Zahedan granite is under the influence of wind erosion. Xenolith discharge from the granite massive causes the creation of manifold spin holes in ROCKs. In this way it bestows to ROCKs a karstic facade and cavernous forms.The biomechanical weathering, as growth of tree roots in joints and cracks of granite, expedites the demolition of ROCKs. The splitter activity of wild pistachio tree roots, like a wedge, has been attributed to mechanical weathering. Another kind of physical erosion is the stone surface exfoliation, known as exfoliation domes. The released pressure on the stone surface creates fractures followed by the erosion of ROCK and formation of numerous blocks. Most of the available joints in granite are subsequently filled with quartz.

The Chamshir water conveyance tunnel (CWCT) with a length of 7. 4 km passes through soft marlstones and mudstones of the Aghajari formation and strong conglomerates and sandstones of the Bakhtiari formation, which are two main widespread formations in the Zagros simply folded zone in southwest Iran. This tunnel with a boring diameter of 5. 3 m is excavated using a refurbished single shield TBM, initially designed to work in hard ROCK formations. This study focuses on ENGINEERING geological and geotechnical issues, which are important for checking the suitability of this machine and proposing required modifications for improving its performance in soft ROCK. The main objective of the investigation was to predict geological problems (clogging potential, swelling potential, abrasive ground, unstable tunnel face and probable water inflow) associated with TBM tunneling in the given ground conditions and to examine the ability of the selected TBM to overcome the anticipated challenges. Estimated tool wear in this project is also discussed using a new special prediction model, and the results are compared with actual disc cutter consumption in the excavated section of the tunnel. The actual observations and measurements in the first 1500 m of the tunnel indicate the validity of the assessments in the related ENGINEERING geological types. In addition, the study of machine specifications showed that the machine can excavate the tunnel by implementation of required modifications, especially the use of proper cutting tools and improvement in cutterhead design.