Chapter 2
Shear Zone Treatment in Tunnels
and Foundations
Nature is different everywhere, and she does not follow the text books.
Stini
SHEAR ZONE
A shear zone is a zone in which shearing has occurred so that the rock mass is crushed and
brecciated. A shear zone is the outcome of a fault where the displacement is not confined
to a single fracture, but is distributed through a fault zone. Shear zones vary in thickness
from a fraction of meters to hundreds of meters. Depending upon the thickness, the shear
zone has a variable effect on the stability of underground openings and foundations. The
thicker the shear zone, the higher chance it will be unstable. Clay-like gouge in shear zones
is generally highly over-consolidated and shows high cohesion. Similarly, weak zones, fault
zones, and thrust zones can also cause instability.
TREATMENT FOR TUNNELS
Rock mass classifications consider only the homogeneous units, so downgrading the rock
quality adjacent to shear zones may be difficult. It is envisaged that the rock mass
affected by a shear zone is much larger than the shear zone. Hence, this rock mass must
be downgraded to the quality of the shear zone so that a heavier support system can be
installed. A method has been developed at the Norwegian Geotechnical Institute (NGI)
for assessing support requirements using the Q-system for rock masses affected by shear
zones (Grimstad & Barton, 1993). In this method, weak zones and the surrounding rock
mass are allocated their respective Q-values from which a mean Q-value can be deter-
mined, taking into consideration the width of the weak zone. Equation (2.1) may be used
in calculating the weighted mean Q-value (Bhasin et al., 1995).
b: log Qwz þ log Qsr
log Qm ¼ ð2:1Þ
bþ1
where Qm ¼ mean value of rock mass quality Q for deciding the support; Qwz ¼ Q-value of the
weak zone; Qsr ¼ Q-value of the surrounding rock; and b ¼ width of the weak zone in meters.
The strike direction (y) and thickness of the weak zone (b) in relation to the tunnel
axis is important for the stability of the tunnel; therefore, the following correction factors
have been suggested for the value of b in Eq. (2.1).
Engineering Rock Mass Classification
# 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. 7
8 Engineering Rock Mass Classification
if y ¼ 90 –45 to the tunnel axis, then use 1b
if y ¼ 45 –20 , x3 then use 2b in place of b
if y ¼ 10 –20 , then use 3b in place of b
if y < 10 , then use 4b in place of b
Equation (2.1) may also be used for estimating the weighted average value of the joint
roughness number (Jrm) after appropriately replacing the log Q by Jr. Similarly, the
weighted mean of joint alteration number (Jam) may also be estimated.
Further, when multiplying Eq. (2.1) by 25 in the numerator and replacing 25 log
Q by E (E = 25 log Q; Barton et al., 1980), the average value of modulus of deformation
Em can be estimated as follows:
b: Ewz þ Esr
Em ¼ ð2:2Þ
bþ1
where Ewz ¼ modulus of deformation of the weak zone or the shear zone and Esr ¼ modulus
of deformation of the surrounding rock mass.
Thus, Em, Qm, and Jrm may also be used to design support systems for shear zones or
weak zones by using the semi-empirical method discussed in Chapter 12 or TM software
(Singh & Goel, 2002).
A 3D finite element analysis of the underground powerhouse of the Sardar Sarovar
Hydroelectric Project in India shows that the maximum deformations of walls are
increased near the shear zone (b ¼ 2 m) by a factor of Esr/Em. The predicted support
pressure on shotcrete near the shear zone is increased to about 0:2 Q1=3 m =Jrm (MPa)
and the support pressures in the surrounding rock away from the shear zone are approx-
imately 0:2 Q1=3
sr =Jrsr (MPa), in which Jrsr is the joint roughness number of the surround-
ing rock mass (Samadhiya, 1998). These computations are quite encouraging.
If the surrounding rock mass near a shear zone is downgraded by using Eqs. (2.1)
and (2.2), a heavier support should be chosen for the whole area instead of just the
weak zone.
Figure 2.1 shows a typical treatment method for shear zones (Lang, 1971). First the
shear zone is excavated with caution up to some depth. Immediately after excavation one
thin layer of steel fiber reinforced shotcrete (SFRS) is sprayed. The weak zone is then
FIGURE 2.1 Shear zone treatment in an underground opening. (From Lang, 1971)
Chapter 2 Shear Zone Treatment in Tunnels and Foundations 9
reinforced with inclined rock bolts, and shotcrete (preferably SRFS) is sprayed ensuring
its proper thickness in the weak zones. This methodology is urgently needed if the
New Austrian Tunneling Method (NATM) or Norwegian Method of Tunneling
(NMT) is to be used in the tunnels of the Himalayan region, as seams, shear zones, faults,
thrusts, and thin intra-thrust zones are frequently found along tunnels and caverns there.
“Stitching” is perhaps the terminology that best suits this requirement.
In a thick shear zone (b >> 2m) with sandy gouge, umbrella grouting or rock bolting is
used to enhance the strength of the roof and walls before tunneling. The excavation is made
manually. Steel ribs are placed closely and shotcreted until the shear zone is crossed. Each
round of advancement should be limited to 0.5 m or even smaller depending upon the
stand-up time of the material and be fully supported before starting another round of
excavation.
In the Himalayan tunnels the rock mass above the shear zone is often water charged.
This may be because of the presence of impermeable gouge material in the shear zone.
Hence, engineers should be prepared to tackle this problem from the start of the project.
TREATMENT FOR DAM FOUNDATIONS
Treatment of a shear zone in a concrete dam foundation consists of dental treatment,
as shown in Figure 2.2. The vertical depth d of excavation of the weak zone and
backfilling by (dental) concreting is recommended by the USBR (1976) as follows:
d ¼ 0:00656 b H þ 1:53, ðmÞ for H < 46m
¼ 0:3 b þ 1:52, ðmÞ for H 46m ð2:3Þ
> 0:1 H in seams with clayey gouge
where H ¼ height of dam above general foundation level in meters; b ¼ width of weak
zone in meters; and d ¼ depth of excavation of weak zone below surface adjoining
the sound rock in meters.
The infilling and crushed weathered rock is oozed out by water jet at very high
pressure and then backfilled by rich concrete. No blasting is used to avoid damage
to the rock mass. Sharma (personal communication with Bhawani Singh) designed
FIGURE 2.2 Shear zone treatment
below dam foundations.
10 Engineering Rock Mass Classification
FIGURE 2.3 Weak seams under foundation less than
20% of the area.
FIGURE 2.4 Foundation on steeply dipping
clay seam (D ¼ foundation depth).
FIGURE 2.5 Foundation on undulat-
ing rock surface.
reinforcement at the bottom of the gravity dam by cable anchors to rest over a wide shear
zone with five branches in the foundation area in the Himalayas by using the computer
program FLAC3D. Unfortunately, it was too late to change the site of this dam.
The treatment of shear zones, joints, solution cavities in limestone, and so forth is
essential for the long life of building foundations. The strategy for their treatment should
be the same as that adopted for dam foundations and as shown in Figures 2.3 to 2.5
as per Indian Standard code (IS13063, 1991).
Undulating rock profiles are a major problem in the construction of footings, well
foundations, and piles. However, massive rocks do not pose instability problems, because
their behavior is similar to that of the rock material (intact rock).
REFERENCES
Barton, N., Loset, F., Lien, R., & Lunde, J. (1980). Application of Q-system in design decisions con-
cerning dimensions and appropriate support for underground installations. In Subsurface Space
(pp. 553–561). Oxford: Pergamon.
Bhasin, R., Singh, R. B., Dhawan, A. K., & Sharma, V. M. (1995). Geotechnical evaluation and a review of
remedial measures in limiting deformations in distressed zones in a powerhouse cavern. In Conference
on Design and Construction of Underground Structures (pp. 145–152). New Delhi, India.
Chapter 2 Shear Zone Treatment in Tunnels and Foundations 11
Grimstad, E., & Barton, N. (1993). Updating of the Q-system for NMT. In Proceedings of the
International Symposium on Sprayed Concrete—Modern Use of Wet Mix Sprayed Concrete for
Underground Support. Oslo: Fagernes, Norwegian Concrete Association.
IS13063. (1991). Structural safety of buildings on shallow foundations on rock—Code of practice
(p. 15). New Delhi: Bureau of Indian Standards.
Lang, T. A. (1971). Theory and practice of rock bolting. AIME Trans. 220.
Samadhiya, N. K. (1998). Influence of shear zone on stability of cavern (p. 334). Ph.D. Thesis.
Uttarakhand, India: Dept. of Civil Engineering, IIT Roorkee.
Singh, B., & Goel, R. K. (2002). Software for engineering control of landslides and tunnelling hazards
(p. 344). Rotterdam: A. A. Balkema (Swets & Zeitlinger).
USBR. (1976). Design of gravity dams (pp. 97–105). U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.
