A COMPREHENSIVE EXPERIMENTAL EVALUATION OF ROCK JOINT SHEAR STRENGTH

This paper presents a comprehensive experimental evaluation of rock joint shear strength. The test specimens are natural rock joints and have differential anastomotic degrees. The paper presents the tests for the JRC-JCS model and the JRC-JMS model in drying and saturated conditions. The test results show that the comprehensive evaluation of rock joint shear strength by the JRC-JCS model has a good reliability on the bases of the directional statistical measurement, the analysis of JRC scale effect, as well as the consideration of reduced JRC during shearing. The JRC-JMC model considering anastomotic degree can better predict the rock joint shear strength than the JRC-JCS model.