Assessment and Prevention of Failure Phenomena in Rock Engineering

Oversized hardcover, 988 pages. Weight over 2kg. Foreign stamps, limited signs of light wear only. Book is clean with unmarked text and secure binding. Issued without a dust jacket. -- This collection offers a comprehensive and foundational exploration of the complex processes governing the stability and collapse of rock structures. Moving far beyond simple strength criteria, the book traces failure from micro-scale damage to macro-scale instability and systematically bridges theoretical principles with practical engineering solutions. Core sections cover damage mechanics, anisotropic material response, and strain localization, explaining how microcracks nucleate, grow, and coalesce into shear bands and larger failure planes. Particular attention is paid to jointed rock masses, where joint roughness and shear-induced dilation govern strength, stiffness, and failure kinematics. These advanced concepts are rigorously grounded in empirical evidence through detailed discussions of laboratory and in-situ testing methodologies, including acoustic emission monitoring, hydraulic fracturing, pull-out tests, and seismic tomography. Practical value is demonstrated through model tests and international case histories spanning tunnels, deep mines, large underground caverns, slopes, dams, and open-pit mines. The volume analyzes diverse failure modes such as squeezing, rockbursts, pillar collapse, and seismically induced slides. A significant portion is devoted to proactive design and prediction, detailing support systems such as pattern bolting, shotcrete, and backfill, and showcases predictive tools: finite element (FEM), distinct element (DEM), boundary element (BEM), and discontinuous deformation analysis (DDA) for blocky and discontinuous rock, alongside probabilistic approaches and the critical technique of back analysis, which uses measured displacements to refine and validate mechanical models. By integrating deep theory, empirical testing, computational analysis, and real-world application, this volume provides an enduring, holistic framework essential for engineers and researchers tasked with assessing risk and ensuring stability in rock engineering projects. Ideal for graduate students, researchers, and practicing engineers seeking a rigorous foundation in rock mechanics and geotechnical stability.…