10
Combining the RMR, Q, and RMi classification systems
Arild Palmstrm; [Link]; February 2009
Rock
Mass
Table 4: The combined input parameters of ground conditions
A. ROCKS RMR Q RMi
A1. Compressive strength (c) of intact rock A1 = - c =
Soil c <1 MPa 0
Not included,
except in
Qc =Q x c /100
Use actual value of
c
Rock
a. Very low strength 1 5MPa 1
b. Low strength 5 25MPa 2
c. Moderate strength 25 50MPa 4
d. Medium strength 50 100MPa 7
e. High strength 100 250MPa 12
f. Very high strength >250MPa 15
B. DEGREE OF JOINTING RMR Q RMi
B1. Rock quality designation (RQD) A2 = RQD = -
a. Very good RQD =90 - 100 20
Use actual RQD
value
(min RQD =10)
Not included
b. Good 75 - 90 17
c. Fair 50 - 75 13
d. Poor 25 - 50 8
e. Very poor <25 5
An approximate correlation between RQD and Jv is: RQD = 110 2.5Jv (Jv = jointing parameter)
B2. Block size - - Vb =
Block volume (Vb) Not included Not included
Use actual value of
Vb in m
3
The block volume can be calculated from the Jv: Vb = Jv
-3
For cubical block shapes = 27-32, for slightly long or flat shapes = 32 - 40, for long or flat shapes = 40 - 75
B3. Joint spacing
A3 =
1)
- -
a. Very large spacing Spacing >2m 20
Not included Not included
b. Large spacing 0.6 - 2m 15
c. Moderate spacing 200 - 600mm 10
d. Small spacing 60 - 200mm 8
e. Very small spacing <60mm 5
1)
Where more than one joint set occurs, the rating for the smallest spacing should be applied
C. JOINTING PATTERN RMR Q RMi
C1. Joint set number - J n = Nj =
No or few joints
Not included
0.75 6
a. 1 joint set 2 3
b. 1 joint set +random joints 3 2
c. 2 joint sets 4 1.5
d. 2 joint sets +random joints 6 1.2
e. 3 joint sets 9 1
f. 3 joint sets +random joints 12 0.85
g. 4 joint sets or more; heavily jointed 15 0.6
h. Crushed, earth-like 20 0.5
C2. Orientation of main joint set B = - Co =
a. Very favourable 0
Not included
1
b. Favourable -2 1
c. Fair -5 1.5
d. Unfavourable -10 2
e. Very unfavourable -12 3
11
Combining the RMR, Q, and RMi classification systems
Arild Palmstrm; [Link]; February 2009
Rock
Mass
D. JOINT CHARACTERISTICS RMR Q
1)
RMi
D1. Joint smoothness (small scale roughness)
(called 'roughness' in the RMR)
A4c = (js =) js =
a. Very rough 6 2 2
b. Rough or irregular 5 1.5 1.5
c. Slightly rough 3 1.25 1.25
d. Smooth 1 1 1
e. Polished 0 0.75 0.75
f. Slickensided 0 0.5 0.5
D2. Joint undulation or waviness (large scale roughness) - (jw =) jw =
a. Discontinuous joints
Not included
4 4
b. Strongly undulating 2.5 2.5
c. Moderately undulating 2 2
d. Slightly undulating 1.4 1.4
e. Planar 1 1
1)
Joint roughness number Jr = js x jw
Note: Jr = js x jw = 1 for filled joints
D3. Joint alteration or weathering A4e = J a = jA =
a. Healed or welded joints 6 0.75 0.75
b. Unweathered, fresh joint walls 6 1 1
c. Slightly weathered joint walls (coloured, d. stained) 3 2 2
e. Altered joint wall (no loose material) 0 4 4
f. Coating of friction materials (silt, sand, etc.) 1 3 3
g. Coating of cohesive materials (clay, chlorite, etc.) 0 4 4
Filled joints 0 See below See below
Filled joints
A4d = J a = jA =
(t = joint thickness)
t <5mm t >5mm
wall
contact
1)
no wall
contact
2)
t <5mm t >5mm
No filling 6 - - - - -
h. Friction materials (silt, sand, etc.) 5 2 4 8 4 8
j. Hard, cohesive materials (clay, talc, chlorite) 4 2 6 8 6 8
l. Soft, cohesive materials (soft clay) 2 0 8 12 8 12
n. Swelling clay materials 0 0 10 18 10 18
1) Wall contact before 10cm shear; 2) No contact when sheared;
Note: Q and RMi apply a combination of joint weathering and infilling, while RMR has input of both weathering and infilling
D4. Joint length A4a = - jL =
a. Crack
1)
(irregular break) Length <~0.3m 8
Not included
5
b. Parting (very short, thin joint) <1m
6
3
c. Very short joint 0.3 1m 2
d. Short joint 1 3m 4 1.5
e. Medium joint 3 10m 2 1
f. Long joint 10 30m
2)
1 0.75
g. Filled joint, or seam
3)
>10m 0 0.5
1)
"Crack" has been introduced in this table;
2)
Length 10 20 m is applied in the RMR;
3)
Used in cases where most joints in the location are filled
Persistence (continuity) of joints in the RMi system has been replaced by Discontinuous joints in Table D2
D5. Joint separation or aperture (A) A4b = - -
a. Very tight
None 6
Not included
Partly included in the
input for Interlocking
of structure
A <0.1mm 5
b. Tight 0.1 0.5mm
4
c. Moderately open
0.5 - 1mm
1 2.5mm
1
d. Open
2.5 - 5mm
5 - 10mm
0
e. Very open 10 - 25mm
12
Combining the RMR, Q, and RMi classification systems
Arild Palmstrm; [Link]; February 2009
Rock
Mass
E. INTERLOCKING OF ROCKMASS RMR Q RMi
Compactness of structure - - IL =
a. Very tight structure Undisturbed rock mass
Not included Not included
1.3
b. Tight structure
Undisturbed rock mass with some
joint sets
1
c. Disturbed / open structure Folded / faulted with angular blocks 0.8
d. Poorly interlocked
Broken rockmasses with angular and
rounded blocks
0.5
Note: Interlocking has been introduced in this table, based on its effects used in the GSI system
F. GROUND WATER CONDITIONS RMR Q RMi
Water inflow to tunnel (q in litres/min) or water pressure (pw) A5 = J w = GW =
a. Dry or damp q =0 pw <1 kg/cm 15 1
1
b. Wet or small seeps q <10 pw =1-2.5 kg/cm 10 0.66
c. Dripping q =10-25
pw =2.5-10 kg/cm
7 0.5 2.5
d. Gushing/material outwashing q =25-125 4 0.3 5
e. Flowing, decaying with time q >125
pw >10 kg/cm
0 0.15 -
f. Large, continuous inflow - 0.08 -
NOTE! GW is related to groundwater's influence on rockmass stability
G. ROCK STRESSES (around tunnel) RMR Q RMi
G1. Stresses below rockmass strength ( <cm) - SRF = SL =
a. Very low stress level (as in portals)
Not included
2.5
0.1
b. Low stress level 0.5
c. Medium stress level 1 1
d. High stress level 0.67 1.5
G2. Overstressing; stresses > rockmass strength ( >cm)
- SRF = CF=RMi /
in massive,
brittle rocks
e. Moderate slabbing after >1 hr
Not included
25 0.75
f. Slabbing and rock burst after few minutes 100 0.5
g. Heavy rock burst 300 0.2
in deformable
rocks
h. Mild squeezing 10 0.75
i. Heavy squeezing 20 0.5
= tangential stresses around the opening; cm ~ RMi = compressive strength of rock mass
H. WEAKNESS ZONES *) RMR Q RMi
H1. Type of weakness zone - SRF = -
a. Multiple weakness zones any depth
Weakness zones
and shears are not
explicitly included
in RMR
10
(Zone or shear
characteristics are
included in the other
input parameters)
b. Single weakness zone depth <50m 5
c. Single weakness zone depth >50m 2.5
d. Multiple shear zones any depth 7.5
e. Single shear zone depth <50m 5
f. Single shear zone depth >50m 2.5
g. Loose, open joints any depth 5
h. Heavily jointed ("sugar cube") any depth 5
H2. Size of the zone - - Tz =
Thickness or width of the zone (Tz) Not included Not included Use width of zone in m
H3. Orientation of zone related to excavation - - Coz =
a. Very favourable
Not included Not included
1
b. Favourable 1
c. Fair 1.5
d. Unfavourable 2
e. Very unfavourable 3
*)
Most weakness zones should be especially evaluated, together with the use of engineering judgement
