Rock Mechanics Through Project-Based Learning

Traditional textbooks on rock mechanics often fail to engage students in the learning process as such books are packed with theory that students are unlikely to use in their future employment. In contrast, this book delivers the fundamentals of rock mechanics using a more practical and engaging project-based approach which simulates what practitioners do in their real-life practice. This book will be of great help to those who would like to learn practical aspects of rock mechanics and better understand how to apply theory to solve real engineering problems.

This book covers geology, rock mechanics principles, and practical applications such as rock falls, slope stability analysis and engineering problems in tunnels. Throughout the whole book, the reader is engaged in project-based work so that the reader can experience what rock mechanics is like and clearly see why it is an important part of geotechnical engineering. The project utilizes real field and laboratory data while the relevant theory needed to execute the project is linked to each project task. In addition, each section of the book contains several exercises and quiz questions to scaffold learning. Some problems include open-ended questions to encourage the reader to exercise their judgement and develop practical skills. To foster the learning process, solutions to all questions are provided to allow for learning feedback.

Dr. Ivan Gratchev is a Senior Lecturer at the School of Engineering & Built Environment, Griffith University, Australia. His research interests are in geotechnical aspects of landslides, soil liquefaction, and rock mechanics. He has published numerous research articles in leading international journals and international conferences. During his academic career, Dr. Gratchev has taught several geotechnical courses (including soil mechanics, rock mechanics and geotechnical engineering practice) using a project-based approach. His teaching achievements were recognised by his peers and students through several learning and teaching citations and awards. Dr. Gratchev has co-authored a textbook on soil mechanics entitled "Soil Mechanics through Project-Based Learning".