Alteration in Material Properties of an Intact Rock due to Drilling and Bolting Operations

Rock material properties play an important role in assessing rock mass behaviour. Passive rock bolts stabilize a rock mass by restricting relative displacements; however, they may reduce rock material properties. While assessing properties of rock mass reinforced by rock bolts, the alteration caused in rock material properties due to drilling and bolting operation should be well understood. The present work makes an attempt to study the alteration in rock material properties due to drilling and bolting operations. The study has been conducted through physical tests on natural rock specimens in the laboratory. Virgin cylindrical specimens of intact rock were tested under uniaxial compression. Drilling was done through specimens and fully grouted bolts were installed. These specimens were also tested under uniaxial compression. It is observed that the drilling has substantial effect on the uniaxial compressive strength and modulus. A simple problem of tunnel is analysed which demonstrates the effect of alteration in material properties on the strength of rock mass around the tunnel in the field condition.