Course: Mastering the Analysis of Surface and Underground Excavations in Blocky Rock Masses: Integrating ShapeMetriX with RocSlope3 and RocTunnel3

This comprehensive training course is designed for practising engineers and geologists involved in the stability analysis of surface and underground excavations in blocky rock masses. Participants will learn to use ShapeMetriX to capture attributes such as orientation, persistence and spacing of geological structures. The course will cover the fundamentals of discontinuity characterization with ShapeMetriX and the practical application of various RocSlope3 and RocTunnel3 to the analysis of discontinuity-controlled failure mechanisms of slopes and underground excavations.

By the end of this course, participants will be proficient in processing 3D imaging data using ShapeMetriX, characterizing the discontinuities in rock masses from 3D photogrammetry models, and seamlessly integrating this information into Dips, RocSlope3 and RocTunnel3 for comprehensive stability assessment. It will balance theoretical knowledge with hands-on practice, ensuring that participants gain practical skills they can immediately apply in their work.

• Course Date: February 24 to 26, 2025
• Venue: Lancaster Hotel, Accra, Ghana
• Languages: English

What’s included:

• Temporary software licenses to all registrants
• Morning Tea, Lunch and Afternoon Tea daily
• PDF of course materials
• Certificate

Please note:

• Registrants will be responsible for their own travel and accommodation.
• Registrants must bring their own laptops (and mouse).
• Recommended minimum specs:
  • 32 GB RAM is the recommended minimum
  • 64 GB RAM for 100,000+ triangles
  • 100 GB SSD is the recommended minimum
  • 500 GB SSD preferred
  • Discrete Nvidia brand graphics cards preferred for optimal experience
  • Windows 10 64-bit recommended minimum
  • Windows 11 64-bit preferred
• Seats are limited

Course Objectives:

• Understand the fundamental role of discontinuities in the stability of surface excavations
• Learn to use ShapeMetriX to convert digital photos and LIDAR data to 3D surfaces
• Learn to measure discontinuity attributes, including orientation, persistence, spacing, and planarity, and characterize geological structures using ShapeMetriX
• Integrate discontinuity data from ShapeMetriX into Dips, RocSlopes3 and RocTunnel3 for comprehensive stability analysis
• Deepen understanding of slope and underground stability methods for analyzing blocky rock mass response
• Develop practical skills for stabilizing unstable wedges or blocks through mechanical reinforcement, excavation geometry modifications, and drainage

Course Outline

Day 1: Introduction to Rock Slope Stability and Fundamentals of ShapeMetriX

1. Introduction to Stability
• Importance of discontinuities in rock mass behaviour
• Overview of slope and underground failure mechanisms
2. Fundamentals of ShapeMetrix
• Overview of ShapeMetriX
• Best practices for digital photo capture
• Processing digital photos
• Generating and refining 3D models
• Measuring discontinuity attributes (orientation, persistence, etc.) from 3D image models

1. Discontinuity Characterization in ShapeMetriX
• Measuring orientation, persistence, spacing, and planarity
• Statistical analysis of discontinuity sets
2. Data Export and Integration
• Exporting orientation and other discontinuity data to Dips, RocSlope3 and RocTunnel3

Day 2: Stability Analysis with Dips and RocSlope3

1. Orientation, Structural Geological and Kinematic Analysis in Dips
• Stereographic projection and plotting – understanding poles, planes, and contours on stereographic plots
• Introduction to Dips and its capabilities – understanding user interface and basic functionalities
• Inputting data from various sources (boreholes, televiewer, ShapeMetriX, etc.)
• Analyzing, managing and organizing data in Dips
1. Plotting orientations on stereonets
2. Identifying and analyzing discontinuity sets
3. Filtering discontinuity sets based on attributes
• Identifying geological structures such as folds
• Kinematic analysis of potential slope failure modes

1. Wedge Stability Analysis with RocSlope3

• Overview of 3D geometry modelling – importing data, typical issues and geometry repair
• Using RocSlope3 for wedge failure analysis
• Integrating ShapeMetriX data for realistic models
• Deterministic and probabilistic analysis
• Interpreting results and designing stabilization measures

Day 3: Stability Analysis with RocTunnel3

1. Realistic Modelling of 3D Underground Excavations in Complex Geological Environments
• Exploring common interface with other Rocscience 3D products, including RocSlope3
• Integrating with Dips and UnWedge for joint data import and analysis
• Importing excavation, geological and discontinuity geometries
• Conducting block stability analysis based on limit equilibrium method
1. Identifying valid blocks formed by intersecting joints
2. Calculating factors of safety for blocks
• Performing Monte Carlo simulations to determine block failure probabilities

1. Staged Excavation Modelling

• Defining sequential construction stages
• Assigning different material properties to geology volumes for stages
• Excavating and backfilling volumes across stages
1. Support Design in Blocky Rock Masses
• Analyzing required support pressure and depth for construction stages
• Designing shotcrete, support pressures, and bolts in stages
• Installing and removing support elements in different stages
2. Visualization and Analysis Tools
• Generating hazard maps of block instability for construction stages
• Contour plotting various parameters (e.g., factor of safety, required support pressure)
• Comparing key metrics of various stages
3. Course Wrap-up and Future Directions
• Emerging technologies in rock slope and underground stability analysis
• Continuous improvement in data collection and analysis techniques
• Q&A session and final discussions

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For any additional queries, please reach out to africa@rocscience.com.