Link to Curtin homepage      CurtinSearch | Curtin Site Index 
Online handbook 2004
CoursesUnitsNew CoursesJoint Uni CoursesDefinition of TermsContact / Help
About Curtin University
Academic calendar
Admissions Information
Applying for a research higher degree
Applying to Curtin
Bookshop
Prospective student service
Curtin scholarships
Enrolment information
Fee Information
Grading system
IT Policy
Student rights and responsibilities
Student policy and procedures
    

303154 (v.1) WASM Geomechanics 332


 

Area:

WASM Mining Engineering Teaching Area

Credits:

25.0

Contact Hours:

5.0

Lecture:

1 x 4 Hours Weekly

Practical:

1 x 1 Hours Weekly

Syllabus:

Nature of soils. Particle size analysis. Plasticity of fine-grained soils. Phase relationships. Soil compaction. Flow of water in soils. Introduction to flownets. Effective stress. Sheer strength. Stresses in soils due to external loads. Active and passive earth pressure. Design of gravity and cantilever retaining walls. Introduction to types of foundations. Introduction to settlement. Bearing capacity of soils. Rock as an engineering material. State of stress in a solid body. Stress and strain, the fullstress and strain tensors, stress and strain invariants, rotation of axes, 3D Mohr circles, Hooke's law. The origin of insitu stress and strain. Intact rock, discontinuities and rock mass structure, failure mechanism, failure criteria (Mohr, Coulomb, Hoek and Brown). Stress around underground openings. Laboratory - field density measurement, liquid and plastic limit, compaction permeameter. Rock testing - UCS, UTS (Brazil test), triaxial determination of cohesion and internal angle of friction. Circular hole in a plate.
 

Unit Outcomes:

On completion of this unit students will have - Understood the nature of soils including particle size analysis, plasticity of fine - grained soil, phase relationships, soil compaction, flow of water in soil, effective stress, sheer strength, stresses insoils and active and passive earth pressure. Designed gravity and cantilever retaining walls and basic foundations, including analysis of settlement and bearing capacity. An understanding of rock as an engineering material, including analysis of the state of stress in a solid body. Stress and strain tensors, stress and strain invarients, rotation of axis, 3DMohr circles and Hookes Law. Understood the origin and measurement of insitu stress and strain. Analysed rock mass structure, failure mechanisms, andfailure criteria. Understood stress around underground openings. Undertaken field density measurement, liquid and plastic limit, compaction, pereameter. UCS, UTS and triaxial testing

Texts and references listed below are for your information only and current as of September 30, 2003. Some units taught offshore are modified at selected locations. Please check with the unit coordinator for up-to-date information and approved offshore variations to unit information before finalising study and textbook purchases.

Unit References:

Brady B.H.G. and Brown E.T., (1999) Rock Mechanics for Underground Mining, 2nd Ed, Chapman and Hall. Department of Mining Engineering and Mine Surveying, Geomechanics 332 Suggested Methods for Rock Testing.

Unit Texts:

No prescribed texts.
 

Unit Assessment Breakdown:

Over 50% of this unit is assessed by Assignment and less than 50% by Examination. This is by grade/mark assessment.

Field of Education:

 30303 Mining Engineering

HECS Band (if applicable):

2  

Extent to which this unit or thesis utilises online information:

 Supplemental  

Result Type:

 Grade/Mark


Availability

YearLocationPeriodInternalArea ExternalCentral External
2004Kalgoorlie CampusSemester 2YY 

Area
External
refers to external course/units run by the School or Department, offered online or through Web CT, or offered by research.
Central
External
refers to external course/units run through the Curtin Bentley-based Distance Education Area

 
Click here for a printable version of this page

    

Picture of sun setting over Henderson Court on Curtin's Bentley Campus

 

Curtin crest