Rock Mechanics

This course presents the mechanical behavior of rocks based on the results of laboratory-scale work. The different types of laboratory experiments are described and the various mechanical behaviors are discussed and illustrated with experimental data. Hydrostatic compression, uniaxial and triaxial compression tests are described. Elastic, plastic and viscous behaviors are considered and the combination of these behaviors is applied to the description of the behavior of rocks.
Notions related to the behavior of discontinuities, as well as fracture mechanics are discussed. The notions of creep and deferred behavior will also be addressed to consider the long-term behavior of rock masses.
In order to consider the mechanical behavior in a quantitative way, the notions of stress and strain tensor will be addressed. They will allow the introduction of elastic deformation calculations based on elastic moduli. The calculation of stresses on planes, from the knowledge of the stress tensor, will be discussed in the general case and will be illustrated by the Mohr representation.

The objective of this course is to make students aware of the usefulness of rock mechanics in the context of classical problems in Earth sciences. The students will have to assimilate the main types of existing mechanical behaviors and transpose them in the case of rocks, trying to integrate all their complexity. They will also have to know how to manipulate the stress tensor to calculate stresses on planes, such as geological discontinuities.

No

Continuous assessment including:
- a written exam on the course and exercises
- an oral presentation on a work of analysis of experimental data from the literature.

- Know the stakes of rock mechanics and its applications
- Know the main mechanical behaviors of rocks
- Be able to interpret experimental data in terms of mechanical behavior
- Know how to use the stress tensor to calculate stresses on plane discontinuities.

Manuel de mécanique des roches, tomes I and II, 1999, published by the Comité Français de Mécanique des Roches.