Presentación Medley

4.
Characterization of bimrocks
Geotechnical and Geological Engineering with

Melanges, Fault Rocks and Other Bimrocks
Dr. Edmund Medley, PE, CEG, D.GE, F.ASCE

Geological Engineer
Principal Consultant
Terraphase Engineering, Oakland, CA
Departamento de Ingenieria Civil

Grupo de Investigacion en Geotechnica
Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Medellín
Aula Máxima Facultad de Minas

Sept 18 -22 2017
Copyright © All rights reserved - Dr. Edmund Medley, Sept. 2017

1
BIG CONCLUSION 1: Remember this
picture!!!
Matrix
Blocks, inclusions, lenses, etc
Scale: 1:?????? Matrix
Actual Distribution of Blocks Medley, 2000

2
Recall: The Hand Game
Copyright © All rights reserved - Dr. Edmund Medley, Sept. 2017 3

BIG CONCLUSION 2: Remember this
picture as well!!!
Matrix
Matrix
Apparent Distribution of Blocks

Copyright © All rights reserved - Dr. Edmund Medley, Sept. 2017 Willis, 20004
Investigating Complexity
boreholes
Proposed tunnel
5
Describing and Excavating Complexity: Difficulties!
boreholes
*“Soil
with
*“interbedded boulders”
shale and
sandstone”
proposed tunnel
undetected block
* do not use these terms unless you know they apply to the geological
complexity you are characterizing!!! 6
WYTYSINWYG*
We picture subsurface conditions based on usully inadequate
mapping, a few drilled observations, limited geophysics, etc.
In the simplest layer cake geology, What You See (in your cross
sections and maps) Is What You Get (during construction)
But for more complex geology WYTYSINWYG What You THINK You
See Is NOT What You Get
WYTYSINWYG is inherent in the characterizations of bimrocks
*20 years ago, in the days of DOS, we were charmed by WYSIWYG: What You See (on the
screen) Is What You Get (when you print)
7
So, YES: bimrocks ARE chaotic…
But Practitioners should NOT

always say:
“Be safe: design using the weak
matrix properties”
Need to put some effort into
characterization…

8
Some elements of CHARACTERIZATION
•Block/matrix discrimination Matrix lithology,

•block lithology, block size, block shape,
•block orientation
Prof. Dimitrios Zekkos
•Block size distribution
•Block discontinuities
•Etc…
Photo: Julien Waeber, 2006
ALL are straight forward geological engineering

during during field investigations…
9
General Procedure for Investigations
 Desk Studies
– Satellite Images, Aerial Photographs, Maps
etc.
 Geological Field Survey
- Morphological Features
- Outcrop Studies
• Rock Mass Characterization
• Paleostress Analysis
 Subsurface Investigation
– Trenches, Trial Pits
– Core Drilling
– Borehole in-situ tests
– Geophysical Survey
 Laboratory Analyses
– Mineralogical Analyses
– Mechanical Analyses
10
Some elements of CHARACTERIZATION
•Block/matrix discrimination Matrix lithology,
•block lithology, block size, block shape,
•block orientation
•Block size distribution
•Block discontinuities
•Etc…
ALL are standard geological

engineering techniques during field
investigation…
11
Simple Ideas for Characterizing
Complex Melanges and Similar
Bimrocks
12
Biggest, Simplest Idea
Know you are

working with
complex
geology!!!
13
Really obvious melange….
Gwna Melange, North Wales, UK photo Ed Medley
14
Geomorphic clues: obvious blocks!!
15
melange bimrocks are really “miserable materials”
Severe active landsliding in

Franciscan Complex melange
near Coleman Beach, Sonoma
County, CA July 2015
16
Observe block/matrix contacts
17
Obvious(?) Melange: Limestone blocks
in sheared shale at proposed Highway cut slope
Egnatia Motorway, Greece Photo by Prof. Gunter Riedmueller
18
Obvious(?) clue to Franciscan melange
This block was once

buried, before weak
matrix was eroded
from around it. It could
be shallow rooted.
Imagine this was

buried and you drilled
10 feet into “bedrock”.
Could that
characterization lead to
problems? Patriotic “knocker”, Marin Co., CA E. Medley
19
Subtle geomorphic clues to melanges
Vegetation contrasts=blocks
Protruding blocks
20
Obvious Fault Rocks
North Anatolian Fault Zone, Turkey

Fault Escarpment of Active Segment, near Bolu Tunnel
21
Outcrop Studies: kinematics
Hydro Power Project Xiaolangdi

22
Right and wrong way to map melanges
Outcrops
(blocks)
Wakabayashi & Medley,

2004
23
Outcrops WRONG!!
(blocks)

2004
24
Outcrops Right!!
(blocks)
Wakabayashi &
Medley, 2004
25
Systematic investigation of chaos
2004
Matrix strength
26
WINDOW MAPPING
Reference
bar
Haymana
Prof.Dr. Reşat
Copyright © All rights reserved - Dr. Edmund Medley, Sept.Ulusay,
2017 Turkey, 2004
27
Haymana (Window Mapping)
Window 3rd
Location Long axis Short axis Block lithology (degree
dimension dimension
No. (m) (m) of weathering)
(m x m) (m)
0.23-13.3 0.07-12.1 Limestone (2)
H-1 30 x 30 -
(1.25) (0.84) Serpentinite (3)
0.33-5.0 0.16-3.97 0.07-1.04 Radiolarite (3-4)

H-2 20 x 20
(1.2) (0.8) (0.42) Serpentinite (3-4)
0.16-2.04 0.08-1.21 0.06-1.13

H-3 20 x 20 Limestone (2)
(0.57) (0.34) (0.23)
Limestone (2)
0.26-2.9 0.13-2.54 0.05-2
H-4 32 x 32 Radiolarite (2)
(0.89) (0.52) (0.36)
Serpentinite (4)
2: Slightly weathered ; 3: Moderately W. ; 4: Highly W. (ISRM, 1981)

28
ASSESSMENTS FROM AIR PHOTOS
Air photos (1:15.000 scaled

Çankırı and Kırşehir sheets).
Dimensions and orientations of
the blocks were measured at
15 different areas.
Effective
area
Prof.Dr. Reşat Ulusay, Turkey, 2004

29
Photoanalysis from photos taken at the sites
PHOTO
Prof.Dr. Reşat
Ulusay, Turkey, 2004
BLOCKS FROM
PHOTO (Image
Analysis)

30
Investigations in bimrocks by Drilling
31
Drilling exploration in “layer cake” geology
exploration
borings
Layer 1
Layer 2
Layer 3

The complexity of a turbidite sequence - interbedded
sandstones and shales
Devil’s Slide, Pacifica, CA E. Medley

33
Reading between the lines
borings
Matrix
Matrix
34
Copyright © All rights reserved - Dr.
Edmund Medley, Sept. 2017
The actual picture is different….
Matrix
Blocks, inclusions, lenses, etc
Matrix
Willis, 2000; after Medley, 2000

More right way and the wrong way..
Wakabayashi & Medley, 2004

36
Wrong!!!
Wakabayashi &
Medley, 2004
37
Right!!!
Wrong!!!
Wakabayashi &
Medley, 2004
NOT “interlayered” shale

and sandstone!!
NOT “soils with boulders”
NOT ‘miscellaneous soils”
38
Drilling
development of clayey gouge

Detachment along foliation,
Kinematic Discontinuity Analyses on Drill Cores
39
Mischaracterization means misery
outcrop
BH “shallow landslide in soil
over bedrock”
BH
15 m excavation BH
looking for the “failure
plane”
40
For further thoughts…
Also investigate characterization

* HR6WUDWD6HSW2 FW resources at
http:// bimrocks.com
41
Time To Ask a really good Question..
30
Scott Dam melange “Very Nice Plot!!
25
Physical models “So, Strength depends
Irfan and Tang, 1993
20 on Volumetric Block
Scott Dam melange
15
Proportion?”
10 “BUT how do you

5 measure VBP out at
conservativethe Site?”
trend
0 (Lindquist 1994a)
-5
0 20 40 60 80 100
Volumetric Block Proportion (%)
42
PROBLEM!! borehole
Can we estimate
three-
dimensional
volumetric block
proportion with
one-dimensional block
boreholes and
two-dimensional
plans and cross-
sections? shear
43
First Steps
• Recognize working with a bimrock
• Select H= Lc,
• Establish block threshold: 0.05Lc
• Drill cored borings
• Recover Lab specimens (shrink wrap)
44
Melange matrix/blocks in drill core
matrix-rich
core
a block/core intercept (if 0.05Lc)
Photo: J Waeber/Geosyntec
Scott Dam melange (CaliforniaHeat
)
shrink-wrapping of core
photo Prof. R Goodman
45
Blocks in core are part
of matrix at site scale but
Blocks in drill core (Scale matters!)
ARE blocks at lab
specimen scale!
Core specimens are scale

models of the in-situ
rock mass.
Test specimens with

different proportions of
blocks; measure the
volumetric proportions.
USE a testing lab

experienced with
rock/rocky specimens!
The stronger the matrix

that you measure, the
better off you will be -
even if you design on
basis of matrix only.
Scott Dam melange photo Prof. R Goodman

Next Steps: measure lengths of core/block intercepts and estimate
linear block proportions
BORINGS
• Measure chords (core/block intercept

lengths)
• Calculate Linear Block Proportion
• Estimate Volumetric Block Proportion and
Uncertainty of the estimate
47
Calculating Block Linear Proportions based on core/block intercepts
B1 B2 B3 B3
(TD 180m) (TD 105m) (TD 32m) (TD 45m)
20
m
26 m blocks
(81 %)
0m blocks
(0%)
6 m blocks
(6%)
total length blocks = 117 m
Total length borings = 362 m
85m blocks Total linear block proportion = 32 %
(47%)
48
Next Step: Estimate volumetric block proportion
With calculated linear proportions from drill core:
Apply stereological principle:
linear proportion = areal proportion = volumetric proportion
Yay! At last! Something logical and simple and

helpful to the engineer!!!!!
49
Beware Geological Engineers with Foreign Accents!
BE CAREFULL!!!!! Don’t believe everything you hear/read!!
Although stereology => Volumetric% = Areal % = Linear %

This law is TRUE ONLY when:
• have sufficient linear measurements!! (which means lots of
drilling, LOTS of $$$ !!)
• Have lots of blocks to intersect with drill core
50
Geometrical probability problems…
Vertical blocks
Vertical borings
Low block proportion
So: little data…
boring or scanline
Horizontal blocks
Vertical borings
High block proportion
Lots of data
(but useless for block sizes…)
51
But…..
How wrong would we be if we did make the assumption:
Volumetric % = Linear % ??
Let us perform some simple “coring” experiments with bimrock

models with known volumetric proportions
52
Kitchen Engineering:
adventures with Plaster of Paris models
• Fabricated 4 physical melange models

with known block size distributions, block
proportions
• Generated 400 model borings
Described in Medley, 1997
53
Fabrication of blocks in models
54
55
Clay, Play-Doh, rice for 2200 to 7350 blocks

56
Holiday weekend physical bimmodels
Fabricated 4 models • Cut and photographed 10

with known block size slices per model
distributions and • Drew 10 “borings” per slice
known, but different, • Measured 100 linear
Volumetric Block proportions per model
Proportions
57
The messiness of kitchen
engineering….
Slice of a physical model

bimrock with a known
volumetric block proportion
and block size distribution,
explored by model boreholes.
58
Plan view of each model
59
How close are Linear% values to actual Volumetric%?
actual volumetric
proportion = 32% Plan view of bimmodel with 100 linear%s from “drilling”
60
Imagine a “site”: drill two holes at random locations
+ 0.0%
+ 61%
Average linear block proportion for 2 “borings” = 30.5%

CLOSE to actual volumetric block proportion of 32%.
LUCKY YOU!
actual volumetric proportion = 32%

61
Be creative and drill the corners of the site…
+ 34.7% + 41.7%
Average linear block proportion for 4 “borings” = 45.7%

Much more than actual volumetric block proportion of 32%.
UNLUCKY YOU – if you use this estimate you over-estimate the

strength of the bimrock…
+ 47.6%
actual volumetric proportion = 32%
+ 58.9%
62
How wrong can you be when you drill the site and try to estimate
the actual volumetric block proportion???
actual volumetric
proportion = 32% Plan view of bimmodel with 100 linear%s from “drilling”
63
Monte Carlo analysis (Medley, 1997)
Realizations of random
2 borings at a time
Means of linear proportions

approximate ACTUAL
volumetric proportion
64
The means
Summary of the data (averages) of
linear block
proportions are
close to the actual
VBPs
Medley, 1997
65
Summary of the data: messy!
NOTE:
“Uncertainty”: Std.Devn
divided by actual Vol.
proportion
BUT
Actual Vol Propn. is

close to the means of
measured linear
proportions
SO:
Uncertainty is
approximately Std. Dev
divided by the mean
Same as : CoV, (or CV)

Coefficient of Variation
Medley, 1997
66
Making the Mess look Pretty…
uncertainty
0.40
0.30
13%
0.20
32%
55%
0.10
REALLY IMPORTANT NOTE: 42%
Uncertainty is the Standard Deviations divided by 0.0

the Means of the data. 0 10 100
BUT the means are close to the true Volumetric
proportion so it is OK to say that the Uncertainty is
Sampling length (Ndmax)
the Standard Deviations divided by the VBPs…
Medley, 1997
67
Evaluating Uncertainty in Estimates When Linear Proportions are
uncertainty Assumed to be Same as Volumetric Block Proportions
0.40
Example:
Linear proportions Total drilling = 200 ft
0.30 assumed to be same
as volumetric Lc= A = 70 m
proportions 13% Largest block (dmax)= 0.75Lc
Hence dmax ~ 50 ft
0.20 And, Ndmax = 200/50 ~ 4
32% Linear proportion = 40%
55% For Ndmax~ 4; and, assuming Linear
0.10 Proportion of 40% is same as
Volumetric Proportion, then
42% Uncertainty is ~ 0.20
0.0 Hence: Uncertainty range is:

0 10 100  (0.2 x 40%) = 8%:
Sampling length (Ndmax)
Medley, 1997 For strength purposes use 32%
(40%-8%) Volumetric Proportion;
Ndmax= length of drilling expressed as multiples of size of largest For earthwork estimates use 48%
block, dmax, (length of estimated largest block: often 0.75Lc) (40% + 8%)
68
An analytical approach to estimating uncertainty
COV(VBP) is COV of
“true” volumetric block
proportion.
E(VBP) is the estimated
vol. block proportion
based on assumption
that the measured linear
block proportion is the
same as VBP
“Uncertainty in Estimation of
Volumetric Block Proportion
of Bimrocks by Using Scanline
Method”
Tien, Y.M. et al (2010) paper
ARMA 10-158; Proc. Am. Rock
Mech. Assn, 2010
69
Guidelines for estimating block
volumetric proportion
• Measure at least 10* dmax of drill core
• Take uncertainty into account, and:
– adjust vol% estimate downwards for
strength
– adjust vol% estimate upwards for
construction excavation purposes
70
Estimating 3D Size distributions from
1D Borings
1D chord length distributions are

NOT the same as 3D block size
distributions
So: be shy of estimating 3D from 1D
71
Drilling through a block: chords and diameters
Diameter
Only rarely will a drilled

chord be the same as the
diameter: so when drilling
bimrocks be very careful
when you use the words:
“block diameter”
chord
After Russ and Dehuff (2000),

“Practical Stereology”

72
Measurement of chords from bim models
- 10 “borings” per slice

- 100 borings per model
- 400 “borings”
- Block size distributions
the same for each model
- 2150 block/boring
intercepts (chords)
73
“PSD”-style plot of chord lengths for all models (~2150 chords)
Despite abundant data, still cannot duplicate original 3D BSD with
chords…
Actual block size
distribution for all models
Tailing shows 30% to

45% of measured
chords were shorter
than actual size of
smallest block (and
smaller than
block/matrix threshold)
Medley, 2002
74
Chord length Distributions for Lindquist TX Specimens
Smallest blocks at block/matrix

threshold ~ 0.05dmax
- dmax indicated
Actual block size
distribution
- Considerable
number small
chords- at lengths
smaller than
smallest actual
blocks
- Relative
Large orientation of
blocks borings and blocks
matter
Small
blocks dmax
Medley, 2002
75
Estimating block size distribution
from borings: Conclusion
BE CAREFUL.
YOU WILL LIKELY GET IT WRONG!
(Because chords almost always

smaller than “diameters” of
blocks)
76
Steps to Characterize Bimrock Strength (Medley and Zekkos, 2011)
77
78
Extras

SITE CHARACTERIZATION
Characteristics of matrix:
• Soft/Hard
• Presence of shearing
• Other visible features (color, grain size etc.)
Characteristics of blocks:
• Block shape (lense, cubic, prismatic, rectangular)
• Block dimension (long, and short axes and 3rd dimension if measured)
• Degree of weathering (based on descriptions by ISRM, 1981)
Hardness of blocks (Schmidt hammer test-not applied)
The techniques applied  (1) WINDOW MAPPING

(2) PHOTOANALYSIS
80
2 different limestone blocks
(1) From air photos
Volcanic blocks (particularly at NE of Elmadağ)
Best fit  Lognormal distribution

Long Short
Block
Map Info axis(LA) axis(SA) LA/SA
orientation
(m) (m)
7.7-399 5.5-191.5 8.4-158 Parallel to LA in
Çankırı H30c3
(89) (37) (2.6) N20-30W
4-229 3.5-128 1-13 Parallel to LA in
Kırşehir İ30b1
(37) (18.5) (2.5) N30-40E
Çankırı Kırşehir

81
Model matrix and block samples prepared in moulds were
waited in a humidity chamber for 28 days
 Determinations & UCS tests
Prof.Dr. Reşat
82
Ulusay, Turkey, 2004
Block

Cement Fly ash Silica fume Water UCS (MPa)
(kN/m3)
4.5 1.5 - 2 15.2 36.6
4.0 - 1.5 4 14.2 12.3
Requires more water
Other artificial models  expensive, time consuming
Use of natural aggregate  serpantinite collected from a stream bed near

Kalecik
Matrix : Silica fume mixture

83
10 different block dimensions were considered
Investigation Strategies
Rock Mass Characterisation

Rock Mass Types
Rock Type Discontinuities
Geometrical Properties
Mineralogical Parameter
Mechanical Properties
Mechanical Properties
Hydraulic Properties
ROCK MASS TYPE
84
Definition of Rock Mass Types
Rock Mass Types are defined by
“KEY PARAMETERS“
85
Example Rock Mass Type
Rock Type Key Parameters
Anisotropy
Shear parameters and stiffness

Phyllite of foliation planes
Content of sheet silicates

and clay minerals

Rock Type Specific Key Parameters
Key Parameters LEGEND
Basic Rock x Significant Parameter
Intact Rock Properties Discontinuities
Types o Less Important Parameter
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
Volcanic Rocks o x x x x x x o x o
Plutonic Rocks x x x o x x x o x o (1) Anisotropy
Fine-Grained
(2) Mineral Composition
Clastic Rocks x x x x x o o o
(3) Grain Size
(massive)
Fine-Grained
(4) Texture
Clastic Rocks x x x x x x x x o x (5) Porosity
(bedded) (6) Secondary Alteration
Coarse-Grained (7) Clay Mineral Composition
Clastic Rocks o x o o o x x x o o o o (8) Clay Content
(massive) (9) Swelling Properties
Coarse-Grained (10) Solution Phenomena
Clastic Rocks x o x o o x x x x x x (11) Cementation
(bedded) (12) Strength Properties
Carbon. Rocks x x x x x o x o (13) Ratio Matrix/Components
Sulfatic Rocks x x x o (14) Orientation of Dominant Set
Metam. Rocks
x x x o x x x o x (15) No. and Orientation of Sets
(massive)
(16) Fracture Frequency
Metam. Rocks
x x x x o x x x x (17) Roughness
(foliated)
Brittle Fault (18) Persistence
o o x x x x x x (19) Aperture
Rocks
(20) Infilling
(21) Shear Strength
87
Key Parameters in Investigating Faulted Rock Masses (bimrocks)
 Block / Matrix Ratio
 Matrix Properties
Particle Size Distribution
Clay Mineral Composition
Swelling Properties
Shear Strength
 Block Properties
Lithology
Size
Shape
Strength
 Discontinuities
Type (shear, extension fractures etc.)
Orientation
Fracture Degree
Relative Movements on Slickensides
88

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4.

Geotechnical and Geological Engineering with

Dr. Edmund Medley, PE, CEG, D.GE, F.ASCE

Departamento de Ingenieria Civil

Aula Máxima Facultad de Minas

Copyright © All rights reserved - Dr. Edmund Medley, Sept. 2017

Scale: 1:?????? Matrix

Actual Distribution of Blocks Medley, 2000

Copyright © All rights reserved - Dr. Edmund Medley, Sept. 2017 3

Apparent Distribution of Blocks

WYTYSINWYG is inherent in the characterizations of bimrocks

But Practitioners should NOT

Copyright © All rights reserved - Dr. Edmund Medley, Sept. 2017

•Block/matrix discrimination Matrix lithology,

Photo: Julien Waeber, 2006

ALL are straight forward geological engineering

ALL are standard geological

Know you are

Gwna Melange, North Wales, UK photo Ed Medley

Severe active landsliding in

Egnatia Motorway, Greece Photo by Prof. Gunter Riedmueller

This block was once

Imagine this was

North Anatolian Fault Zone, Turkey

Hydro Power Project Xiaolangdi

Wakabayashi & Medley,

Wakabayashi & Medley,

0.33-5.0 0.16-3.97 0.07-1.04 Radiolarite (3-4)

0.16-2.04 0.08-1.21 0.06-1.13

Copyright © All rights reserved - Dr. Edmund Medley, Sept. 2017

Air photos (1:15.000 scaled

Prof.Dr. Reşat Ulusay, Turkey, 2004

Copyright © All rights reserved - Dr. Edmund Medley, Sept. 2017

Copyright © All rights reserved - Dr. Edmund Medley, Sept. 2017 32

Devil’s Slide, Pacifica, CA E. Medley

Blocks, inclusions, lenses, etc

Copyright © All rights reserved - Dr. Edmund Medley, Sept. 2017 35

Wakabayashi & Medley, 2004

NOT “interlayered” shale

development of clayey gouge

Also investigate characterization

10 “BUT how do you

Volumetric Block Proportion (%)

a block/core intercept (if 0.05Lc)

Core specimens are scale

Test specimens with

USE a testing lab

The stronger the matrix

Copyright © All rights reserved - Dr. Edmund Medley, Sept. 2017 46

• Measure chords (core/block intercept

(TD 180m) (TD 105m) (TD 32m) (TD 45m)

With calculated linear proportions from drill core:

Apply stereological principle:

linear proportion = areal proportion = volumetric proportion

Yay! At last! Something logical and simple and

BE CAREFULL!!!!! Don’t believe everything you hear/read!!

Although stereology => Volumetric% = Areal % = Linear %

Let us perform some simple “coring” experiments with bimrock

• Fabricated 4 physical melange models

Described in Medley, 1997

Clay, Play-Doh, rice for 2200 to 7350 blocks

Fabricated 4 models • Cut and photographed 10

Slice of a physical model

Average linear block proportion for 2 “borings” = 30.5%