Block size and shape

Arild Palmstrm
Norconsult as, Norway
 Block size is a term for:

The degree of jointing

The density of joints
The spacing of joints

The number of joint sets

 Items to be presented

The challenge in measuring block size

Main measurents of block size
Characterization of block shape
Comparison or transition between different block
size measurements
Jointed
gneis
with a
dolerite
dyke

What is
the
block
size?
Jointed granodiorite with shears

How to
characterize
the block
size?
 Jointing
in a
dolerite

Example used

1m
Interpretation of the jointing

1m 1m
 Measurements of block size

Measurements in rock surfaces Measurements on drill cores

Volumetric joint count (Jv)

Joint spacing (S) Fracture frequency (Ff)

Block volume (Vb) Block volume (Vb)

Weighted joint density (wJd) Weighted joint density (wJd)

Rock quality designation (RQD) Rock quality designation (RQD)

 Measurements of block size

Measurements in rock surfaces Measurements on drill cores

Volumetric joint count (Jv)

Joint spacing (S) Fracture frequency (Ff)

Block volume (Vb) Block volume (Vb)

Weighted joint density (wJd) Weighted joint density (wJd)

Rock quality designation (RQD) Rock quality designation (RQD)

 Volumetric joint count (Jv)

Jv = 1/S1 + 1/S2 + 1/S3

+ random joints n/5

Example:
set 2

S1 = 0.1m
set 1

S3
S2 = 0.5m
set 3 S3 = 2m
S2

S1 Jv = 10 + 2 + 0.5 = 12.5
 Joint spacing
joint set

s1 s3
s2 s4 s5
s6
Average
joint
spacing

Sa = (S1 + S2 + S3 + ..+Sn)/n
Average joint spacing where more than one
joint set occur?

0.5 0.1

Two joint sets: Joint spacings S1 = 0.1m; S2 = 0.5m: Sa = ??

Example
For S1 = 0.1m; S2 = 0.5m; S3 = 2m: Sa = ?
Sa = minimum spacing = 0.1m

Sa = (S1 + S2 + S3)/3 = 1.3m

Sa = 1/Jv = 0.08m

Sa = block diameter = Vb 1/3 = 0.47m

 Jv can best be
measured where
distinct joint sets
occur
 Block volume measurements

MIN
BLOCK

joint
random

s et 2
10 m

t
join
s et 1

m
MAX

do
ran
BLOCK

s et 3

10 m
1m
 The block volumes vary
between approx.

510-5 m (50cm3)
and
510-2 m (50dm3)

Average block size

Vb = 0.05dm3 0.025 m (25dm3)

Vb = 0.05m3

1m
 Distribution of block size

100

80
75

60
% Smaller

3
50 Vb min = 0.01m
3
40 Vb 25 = 0.07m
3
25
Vb 50 = 1.15m
20 Vb 75 = 0.3m
3

3
Vb max = 2m
0 3
0.001 2 5 2 5 2 5 1 2 5 10m
0.01 0.1
Vb25 Vb 75
Block volum e Vb
Tunnel excavated in completely decomposed rock
 Block size distribution (sand to gravel)

100

90
4306
80
Distribution (% finer than)

4333
70

60

50

40

30

20

10
silt sand gravel
0
0.01 0.1 1 10 100
Particle size (mm)
Suitable for block volume measurement
 Columnar
jointing

Block size =?
Block size
 Weighted jointing density (wJd)

1-D
measurements 2 - D measurements

surface area (A)

borehole

1 1 3 2
joint
2
L
joint

1 1
4 wJd =
A sin i

1 1
wJd =
L sin i
 1-D
measurements 2 - D measurements

surface area (A)

borehole

1 1 3 2
joint
2
L
joint

1 1
4 wJd =
A sin i

1 1
wJd =
L sin i
 Rating of the angle factor

Angle interval Chosen rating of the factor

1/sin
(between joint and borehole or surface) fi
o
> 60 < 1.16 1
o
= 30 - 60 1.16 1.99 1.5
o
= 15 - 30 2 3.86 3.5
o
< 15 > 3.86 6
 Rating of the angle factor

Angle interval Chosen rating of the factor

1/sin
(between joint and borehole or surface) fi
o
> 60 < 1.16 1
o
= 30 - 60 1.16 1.99 1.5
o
= 15 - 30 2 3.86 3.5
o
< 15 > 3.86 6
 sc
anl in
e
Measurement
of wJd
along a
1m scanline

1
t ion
c
Se

1m
2
t ion
c
Se

1m
 Calculation of wJd

Section 1
Factor
Angle interval Number of Value
fi
joints (N) fi N
o
> 60 1 3 3
o
= 30 - 60 1.5 7 10.5
o
= 15 - 30 3.5 0 0
o
< 15 6 1 6
wJd = (fi N) = 19.5
wJd = approx. Jv
 Correlation Jv and Vb

Vb = x Jv -3

= block shape factor

3
(2 + 2 x 3 + 3)
= 2
(2 x 3)
where 2 = S2/S1; 3 = S3/S1
and S1 < S2 < S3
 Some block types

Polyhedral blocks Equidimensional blocks Prismatic blocks

Tabular blocks Rhombohedral blo cks Columnar blocks

 EQUIDIMENSIONAL
or CUBICAL BLOCK
FLAT Block
BLOCK
shapes

1 MAI N JOIN T S ET 3 MAI N JOIN T S ETS

LONG LONG & FLAT

BLOCK BLOCK

2 MAI N JOIN T S ETS 2 MAI N JOIN T S ETS

sim ilar spaci ngs dif f erent spacings
Simple estimate of block shape factor

Smax

Smax
= 20 + 7 Smin
Smin
= 20 + 7 longest/shortest
 Block shape classification

Value of Block shape

27 - 32 Cubical
32 - 50 Slightly long or flat
50 - 100 Moderately long or flat
100 - 500 Very long or flat
> 500 Extremely long or flat
 RQD = 0 -25% very poor
L = 38cm
RQD = 25 - 50 % poor
RQD = 50 - 75% fair
RQD = 75 - 90% good
RQD = 90 - 100% excellent
Rock quality
L = 17cm
designation
L=0
(RQD)
no pieces > 10cm

for core
200cm

L = 20cm

diameter 54mm
L = 35cm

drilling break

Total length of core run = 200cm

RQD =
length (L) of core piecies >10cm length
L=0 Total length of core run
no recovery
38 + 17 + 20 + 35
RQD = x 100% = 55%
200
Core diameter 76mm
Core diameter 46mm
 Limits of RQD

0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 m

RQD = 0

RQD = 0

RQD = 100

RQD = 100
 Regular
jointing

S1 = 9cm S3 = 15cm

S2 = 11cm

Jv = 1/0.09 + 1/0.11 + 1/0.15 = 27

 Orientation of borehole

RQD = 0
RQD = 100

0
10
=
D
RQ
S1 = 9cm S3 = 15cm S1 = 9cm S3 = 15cm S1 = 9cm S3 = 15cm
S2 = 11cm S2 = 11cm S2 = 11cm

Jv = 1/0.09 + 1/0.11 + 1/0.15 = 27 Jv = 1/0.09 + 1/0.11 + 1/0.15 = 27 Jv = 1/0.09 + 1/0.11 + 1/0.15 = 27

 Connection between RQD and Jv

A computer simulation with:

Blocks of known size (joint spacings), and shape

(Jv and )
Scanlines (boreholes) at different angles

RQD values were calculated

 Connection RQD - Jv
100
cubical blocks
90 slightly long or flat blocks
moderately long or flat blocks
80 very long or flat blocks
extremely long or flat blocks
70

60
RQD

50

40

30

20

10

0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
Volumetric joint count (Jv)
 Extreme limits of RQD

Platy or tabular blocks

X Y Compact blocks
rand om joint bore hole borehole

Joint set spacin gs:

S1 = S2 = 0.0 7m
Spacing: S3 = 0.11m
S1 = 0.1m

RQD = 100
RQD = 0 ; Jv = 1/0.10 + 2/5 = 10.4 Jv = 2x1/0.07+1/0.11 = 38
 100 Z Y

?
80
?
Correlation
between
RQD and
RQD

60
Jv
?
40

?
20

X
0
0 20 40 60 80 100
Volumetric joint count, Jv
 100

Assumed
80
assumed common variation
?
common
?
correlation

as
su
m
ed
RQD

ex
60

tre
assumed extrem

m
e
li m
it
40 ?
e limit

RQ
RQ D

D=
110
= 11

?
- 2.
5 -3

20
5Jv
.3Jv

?
0
0 20 40 60 80 100
Volumetric joint count, Jv
 Correlations

3
joints/m
80 60 40 30 20 10 8 6 5 4 3 2 1 0.8 0.6 0.4
very high high moderate low very low
Volumetric (Jv)
join t count

RQD = 110 - 2.5Jv

Vb = x Jv
010 25 50 75 90 100

1/3
very
good
poor

very

Jv = (Vb / )
poor fair good excellent RQD

-3
3
10 -6 10 -5 10 -4 10 -3 0.01 0.1 1m 3 10 10 0 10 00 m
2 4 7 2 4 7 2 4 7 2 4 7 2 4 7 2 4 7 2 4 7 2 4 7 2 4 7
very small small moderate large very large
Block vo lume
3 (Vb)
1cm 1d m3
( = block shape factor
= 36 is appli ed here)
 Correlations including block shape

Volumetric joint count (Jv)

joints / m3
12 0 100 80 60 40 30 20 10 8 6 5 4 3 2 1 0.8
Very long or flat blocks = 750
100 80 60 40 30 20 10 8 6 5 4 3 2 1 0.8 0.6 0.4
Long or flat blocks = 100
100 80 60 40 30 20 10 8 6 5 4 3 2 1 0.8 0.6 0.4
Mod. long or flat blocks = 60
80 60 40 30 20 10 8 6 5 4 3 2 1 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.3
Equidimensional blocks = 27

100 80 60 40 30 20 10 8 6 5 4 3 2 1 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.3

Common block shape = 36

44 - RQD/2.5
110 - 2.5Jv
RQD =

Jv =

-3
Vb = Jv
0 100 R QD
10 25 50 75 90 95 (for Jv < 44, RQD = 0)
(for Jv > 4, RQD = 100)
CRUSHED BROKEN BLOCKY MASSIVE

-6 3 -5 -4 3
10 m 10 10 10 m
-3 3
0.01 0.1 1m
3
10 100 1000m
B loc k vo lum e (Vb )
2 4 7 2 4 7 2 4 7 2 4 7 2 4 7 2 4 7 2 4 7 2 4 7 2 4 7
1cm
3
10cm 3
100cm 3
1dm
3
10dm 3
100dm 3

S = Vb

3
Vb = S
3
Jo int s pac ing (S)
2 3 4 5 6 8 2 3 4 5 6 8 2 3 4 5 6 8
[ Bl ock di ame ter]
0.01m 0.1m 1m 10m for > 1 joint set
Summing up

Vb is
best?
Jv is
best?
Vb is
best
+

Jv is
best?
 How to
characterize
blocks in a
fault?
 Conclusions

In surfaces:
Use Jv in regular jointing where spacings S > ~10cm
(best for Jv < ~ 10)
Use Vb for heavy jointing, many random joints or
where blocks can easily be seen

In boreholes:
Use wJd
Use Vb for crushed parts where volume of the
pieces can be seen
 Thank
you for
your
attention

ATTENTION!