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Strong rock blocks embedded in a weaker soil matrix are found in many geological units. When tunneling in ground containing cobbles and boulders, extremely challenging conditions can be encountered. Such inconveniences may be avoided by means of appropriate tunneling methods and cutterhead designs, which require the content, frequency, and size of rock blocks to be predicted as accurately as possible. Several approaches have been developed to estimate the block fraction of heterogeneous geomaterials for excavation. However, the estimation of cobble–boulder quantities both all along the tunnel and only partially embedded within the tunnel face remains a critical issue. This study develops a methodology for the estimation of the probability of encountering blocks partially or totally contained within the tunnel excavation area, wherein the area of intersection with the tunnel face is greater than the given critical values. For this purpose, a statistical approach has been implemented in a Matlab routine. The potential of this code is that it provides extremely useful and statistically based information that can be used for making a more rational choice regarding tunneling technique and in terms of designing a suitable cutterhead in order to avoid technical problems during tunnel excavations in heterogeneous ground. The executable code is provided.

We document the structural setting, microstructure, and mineralogy of a crack-seal-type dilational jog that developed in the stepover between two faults cutting through a phacoid of massive serpentinite, itself embedded within a serpentinite shear zone at the base of the Dun Mountain Ophiolite, New Zealand. Our outcrop and microstructural measurements allow us to constrain the boundary conditions for a numerical model (part 2) that quantitatively explores the relationships between stress, fault slip, and incremental cracking in block-in-matrix shear zones. The dilational jog is c. 3 cm wide and contains hundreds of crack-seal bands, each c. 20–30 μm wide. Internally, the jog comprises two mineralogically distinct crack-seal domains: serpentine-only domains and serpentine-andradite garnet domains. Additionally, individual crack-seal bands have a double-layer structure: in serpentine-only domains each band comprises a thin (<2 μm) layer of chrysotile and a thicker layer (c. 25 μm) of polygonal serpentine/lizardite, whereas each band in serpentine + andradite domains comprises a thinner (c. 5 μm) layer of microcrystalline andradite and a thicker layer (c. 15 μm) of polygonal serpentine/lizardite. Micro-CT analysis shows that the serpentine + andradite domains have conic or ellipsoidal shapes with long axes subparallel to the inferred jog opening direction, and that andradite is smeared along micro-transform surfaces inside the jog. Our conceptual microstructural model invokes jog formation during progressive serpentinization of the host rock. Incremental crack opening along the jog-wall rock interface promotes relatively rapid initial precipitation of chrysotile or andradite at high fluid:rock ratios. As cracks fill and pressure re-equilibrates, relatively slow growth of polygonal serpentine/lizardite is favoured until the cracks are sealed and the cycle repeats. Our observations suggest that the precipitation of andradite (instead of chrysotile) was controlled both by structural boundaries within the jog (e.g., micro-transform surfaces) and by local element transport (e.g., Ca from serpentinizing clinopyroxene grains in the host rocks) to patches of the crack wall. [Display omitted] • Serpentine-filled dilational jog formed during faulting inside competent phacoid. • Microstructure suggests incremental growth due to repeated fault slip events. • Single crack-seal bands show a double-layer structure of serpentine and andradite. • Andradite domains are elongate in opening direction and smeared along micro-transforms. • Model of jog formation during active serpentinization and local element transport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A wide range of heterogeneous geological units composed of strong rock blocks enclosed in a bonded matrix of fine texture exists worldwide. Such geomaterials belong to geotechnically complex formations and are often referred to as bimrocks (block-in-matrix rocks) or bimsoils (block-in-matrix soils), as a function of their matrix characteristics and the interface strength between the matrix and blocks. Stability problems occurring in such complex geomaterials have been analysed almost exclusively by means of deterministic approaches and with the aim of investigating the effects of variable block contents on their mechanical behaviour. However, bimrocks and bimsoils can present very different internal block-in-matrix arrangements and properties according to their forming process and, consequently, significantly dissimilar mechanical behaviours. Therefore, the aim of this paper was to statistically investigate and compare the stability of theoretical slopes in the most widespread bimrock formations, i.e. sedimentary and tectonic melanges. These formations are characterised by substantial differences in their rock inclusion geometry. To this aim, a great number of 2D slope models were generated to enclose blocks with variable shapes, dimensions, arrangements, inclinations and contents. To obtain statistically based results, fifteen configurations were analysed for each block content and geometrical configuration considered. The results obtained indicate that block shapes and orientations significantly affect the stability of slopes in bimrocks only when the block contents are greater than 40%. Moreover, it is demonstrated that blocks inclined 0° to the horizontal provide the most tortuous and irregular failure surfaces and, consequently, the highest safety factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The city bypass tunnel of Waidhofen an der Ybbs (Austria) is situated in an intricate geological-geotechnical complex consisting of soil, hard soil, weak rock and solid rock. Marls and marly limestone (Waidhofener formation) predominate followed by tectonic breccia of the Alpine cliff zone, which is a tectonic melange zone. Materials of this kind universally have isolated interior blocks embedded in a matrix called 'block-in-matrix' (see Fig. 1) requiring a particular characterization of the mechanical rock mass properties. The complex geological and morphological situation required the application of various tunneling methods including open cuts, cut-and-cover sections and the New Austrian Tunneling Method. During construction in creeping slopes increased movements were triggered, which required the installation of a sophisticated monitoring system. On the basis of monitoring data and additional ground investigations structural measures were assessed that enabled safe tunneling in the creeping slope.[Figure not available: see fulltext.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Block-in-matrix rock assemblages — such as mélanges — are structurally complex units whose fabric is primarily defined, not by planar or linear features as most rock units are, but by the orientation and aspect ratio of irregularly shaped blocks. Despite this, previous attempts to quantitatively characterize mélange fabrics have predominantly focused on measuring the foliation using traditional techniques. Here we introduce a method of characterizing block-in-matrix fabrics using image analysis of field photos to discern the aspect ratios and orientations of blocks and define the structural anisotropy of the rock unit. We also include the software to calculate structural anisotropy and the trend of the fabric from image analysis data. • Block-in-matrix rock units (e.g. mélanges) have a complex fabric. • Foliation wraps around blocks and does not accurately represent regional stresses. • Block-in-matrix fabrics are defined by the orientation & shape of irregular blocks. • Structural anisotropy quantitatively characterises block-in-matrix fabrics. • This method uses image analysis on field photos to calculate structural anisotropy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]