Lack of data input on soil and rock mass properties is a major obstacle often encountered in the numerical modeling of geotechnical structures and excavations. The usefulness of elaborate constitutive models, and powerful numerical analysis programs, is greatly limited, if engineers cannot obtain or estimate reliable geotechnical input parameters.
RocData in conjunction with RocProp (rock properties database) helps to remedy this situation, by providing analysis tools and data which greatly assist geotechnical engineers with the task of determining rock and soil material properties.
The task of determining rock and soil properties is usually not an end in itself. It is carried out in order to obtain input material properties for use in limit equilibrium or numerical analysis of geotechnical structures. The material properties determined from RocData and RocProp can be used as input for analysis programs such as:
Phase2 (finite element stress analysis and support design for excavations)
Slide (limit equilibrium slope stability analysis).
Phase2 and Slide are programs also developed by Rocscience.
RocData
RocData provides tools for quickly and easily testing out hypotheses on four of the most widely used and accepted strength models for soils and rock. The program can be used to determine strength models that best describe laboratory or field data.
RocData is designed to aid engineers, especially at the preliminary stages of design. It provides simple and intuitive implementations of the Generalized Hoek-Brown, Barton-Bandis, Power Curve and Mohr-Coulomb failure criteria. The program enables users to easily visualize the effects of changes in input parameters on rock and soil failure envelopes.
In addition, RocData comes with built-in tables of typical strength parameter values for various rock and soil types, compiled from credible sources. This allows users to readily obtain reliable estimates of the strength properties of a wide variety of rocks and soils.
For more information see the RocData Overview topic.
RocProp
RocProp is a rock properties database program which is included with RocData, but runs as a standalone application. RocProp contains credible test results from worldwide sources, including strength test data and other parameters. The database can be searched and filtered in various ways, and allows users to add their own data to the database.
For more information see the RocProp Overview topic.