Rock Mass Classification and Tunnel Reinforcement Selection Using the Q-System

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Abstract
This paper provides an overview of the Q-system and documents the scope of case records used in its development. A description of the rock mass classification method is given using the following six parameters: core recovery (RQD), number of joint sets, roughness and alteration of the least favorable discontinuities, water inflow, and stress-strength relationships. Examples of field mapping are given as an illustration of the practical application of the method in the tunneling environment, where the rock may already be partly covered by a temporary layer of shotcrete. The method is briefly compared with other classification methods, and the advantages of the method are emphasized.