This chapter provides guidance in t

This chapter provides guidance in the description and engineering classification of intact rock and rock masses,the types, applications and analyses of rock property tests, the evaluation of intact rock and rock mass properties, and the selection of design parameters for project structures founded on rock. Rock mass characterization refers to the compilation of information and data to build a omplete conceptual model of the rock foundation in whichall geologic features that might control the stability of roject structures, as well as the physical properties of those features, are identified and defined. The compilation of information and data is a continual process. The process starts with the preliminary site investigations and is expanded and refined during site exploration, laboratory and field testing, design analyses, construction and, in some cases, operation of the project structure. The order of information and data development generally reflects a district’s approach to the process but usually evolves from generalized information to the specific details required by the design process. Furthermore, the level of detail required is dependent upon the project structure and the rock mass foundation conditions. For these reasons, this chapter is subdivided into five topic areas according to types of information rather than according to a sequence of tasks. Topic areas include geologic descriptions, engineering classification, shear strength parameters, bearing capacity parameters, and deformation and settlement parameters. The five topic areas provide required input to the analytical design processes described in Chapters 5, 6, 7, and 8