Automated tunnel rock classification using rock engineering systems

At present, rock mass classification in tunnel construction basically depends upon geologistʹs knowledge, and normally suffered from bias judgments. Based on rock engineering system and computer programming technology, an approach to automated zonation and classification of rock mass is presented in this paper. Seven parameters are considered and parameter interaction intensity and weighting of each parameter have been analyzed. Discontinuity property is found to be the most important factor influencing rock mass quality. The rock mass quality index, which is the weighted summation of each selected parameter, is put forward for rock mass classification. A computer-aided automated classification system is then developed and used for the Dazhushan tunnel. The classification results show good agreement with that by RMR, indicating that the proposed system can work precisely, with its powerful function for data management and fast implementation.