378 pages - Publisher: CRC Press; (September, 2015) ... Language: English - ISBN-10: 1482217260 - ISBN-13: 978-1482217261An Ideal Source for Geologists and Others with Little Background in Engineering or Mechanics: Practical Rock Mechanics provides an introduction for graduate students as well as a reference guide for practicing engineering geologists and geotechnical engineers. The book considers fundamental geological processes that give rise to the nature of rock masses and control their mechanical behavior. Stresses in the earth’s crust are discussed and methods of measurement and prediction explained. Ways to investigate, describe, test, and characterize rocks in the laboratory and at project scale are reviewed. The application of rock mechanics principles to the design of engineering structures including tunnels, foundations, and slopes is addressed. The book is illustrated throughout with simple figures and photographs, and important concepts are illustrated by modern case examples. Mathematical equations are kept to the minimum necessary and are explained fully―the book leans towards practice rather than theory.