Detection and Measurement of Cracks in Rock Massifs by Means of Ground Laser Scanning

The analysis of the cracking of the rock massifs is an important stage in the process of their characterization, as this largely determines their mechanical behavior. This is the main reason the mining engineers, who are angaged with the analysis of rock massifs, to require a most detailed and reliable study of the cracks that have arisen in them. Metric characteristics, such as the direction and angle of collapse of the cracks, roughness and average distances between the individual cracks, are extremely important for the study of the structural disturbance of the massif. In the process of the metrics forming of these characteristics, a few of methods of measurement and graphical representation, different in nature and technological features, have become necessary. Through these traditional methods, it is very often not possible to obtain adequate quantitative data for the complete geomechanical characteristics of the rock mass and for the analysis of the mechanisms for its instability. Here, the effectiveness of the ground laser scanning in the study of the structural disturbance (direction and angle of decay of the cracks) and the area cracking coefficient of the rock mass has been experimentally proved. Through this technology the research of the structural disturbance of the rock massifs acquires new quantitative and qualitative dimensions. On the basis of an extremely detailed 3D model, even of hard-to-reach sections of the rock massif, a realistic clustering of cracks and prerequisites for adequate determination of the area cracking coefficient of the massif are created. Moreover, ground-based laser scanning data are an indisputable source of valuable information about rock surface roughness. For an object of the experiment, was selected part of a rock massif, which has well-developed, clearly visible cracks. The scan was performed, using a ground-based laser scanner “Scan Station 2” of the company “Leica”.