• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.51 no.5
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• pp.823-845
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• 2014

Success in the excavation of foundations is commonly known as being very important in asserting stability. Furthermore, when the subjected formation is rocky and the use of explores is required, the demands of successful blasting are multiplied. The quick and correct estimation of excavation's characteristics may help the design of building structures, increasing their safety. The present paper proposes a new classification system which connects blastability and rock mass quality. This new system primarily concerns poor and friable rock mass, heavily broken with mixture of angular and rounded rock pieces. However, it should concern medium and good quality rock mass. The Blastability Quality System (BQS) can be an easy and widely - used tool as it is a quick calculator for blastability index (BI) and rock mass quality. Taking into account the research calculations and the parameters of BQS, what has been at question in this paper is the effect of BI magnitude on a geological structure.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.182-189
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• 2001

Rockmass properties have great influence on blasting performance so that it cannot be overemphasized to analyze rockmass properties and to perform blast design based on them. Up to the present, however blast design is performed either considering only uniaxial compressive strength of intact rock or using RMR classification as a blast ability classification scheme. In this paper Ashby's approach is adopted to evaluate blast index. In addition. rockmass classification for the blast design based on joint survey results and pattern design procedure are added to Ashby's original approach. With this extended approach, blastability can be classified considering joint properties and objectiveness of evaluated blast index can be confirmed. This approach is anticipated to enhance the tunnel blast design by considering joint properties and classifying the rockmass for blast design.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.467-483
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• 2014

This study aimed to investigate the classification ability with naked eyes according to the understanding level about rocks of pre-service science teachers. We developed a questionnaire concerning misconception about minerals and rocks. The participants were 132 pre-service science teachers. Data were analyzed using Rasch model. Participants were divided into a master group and a novice group according to their understanding level. Seventeen rocks samples (6 igneous, 5 sedimentary, and 6 metamorphic rocks) were presented to pre-service science teachers to examine their classification ability, and they classified the rocks according to the criteria we provided. The study revealed three major findings. First, the pre-service science teachers mainly classified rocks according to textures, color, and grain size. Second, while they relatively easily classified igneous rocks, participants were confused when distinguishing sedimentary and metamorphic rocks from one another by using the same classification criteria. On the other hand, the understanding level of rocks has shown a statistically significant correlation with the classification ability in terms of the formation mechanism of rocks, whereas there was no statistically significant relationship found with determination of correct name of rocks. However, this study found that there was a statistically significant relationship between the classification ability with regard to formation mechanism of rocks and the determination of correct name of rocks.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.26 no.7
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• pp.630-639
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• 2005

The purpose of this study was to investigate the classifying ability of the igneous rocks with the naked eye for 36 preservice science teachers. For this, we selected six specimens of igneous rocks that consisted of rhyolite, andesite, basalt, granite, diorite, and gabbro, and performed the questionnaire with them. Preservice science teachers needed the average of 3 tools to classify the rocks. Most of the selected tools were loupe, streak plate, hammer and Mohs’ hardness scale. Many preservice science teachers selected basalt and granite samples to classify igneous rocks among 6 kinds of the rocks which were exhibited. However, the results of the identification with the naked eye showed that the right answer rate was significantly different based on what rock sample had been selected. Nobody gave the right answer among 10 students who chose the rhyolite sample, but all of 36 students who picked the basalt sample answered correctly. And $62\%$ of 8 students who chose the andesite sample, 62% of 32 student choosing granite, $7\%$ of 13 students choosing diorite and $44\%$ of 9 students choosing gabbro were correctly answered. In identifying igneous rock samples with the naked eye, most subjects relied on vesicular texture to basalt, and they used textural, color and empirical characters to granite. But, some felt more or less difficulty to distinguish between intermediate and light colors and to recognize porphyry.