Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to assess the engineering geological characteristics of Boukhadra’s iron mine rock mass. Several problems of deformation and stability were frequently encountered during the progress of the exploitation. This phenomenon affects seriously the safety of the miners and the progress of the work. In this research project, we try to estimate the behavior of the host rock mass, its deformability and stability. Field studies consisted of geological mapping, discontinuity surveying, core drilling and sampling for laboratory studies. Physical properties, uniaxial compressive strength and shear strength tests were conducted in the laboratory. Rock mass classes and rock mass strength and deformability parameters were determined based on the AFTES guidelines, rock quality designation (RQD), rock mass rating (RMR) and Q rock mass classification systems. The deformations were then numerically determined using Plaxis Software. The modeling results were in good agreements with the rock mass qualities as assessed by RMR, Q-system, AFTES guidelines.

Key words: Engineering geology, finite element method, rock mass classification, iron mine, Boukhadra, Algeria.