Engineering Classification of Jointed Rock Mass Based on Connectional Expectation: A Case Study for Songta Dam Site, China

Engineering classification of complex jointed rock mass is influenced and controlled by many factors with random, nonlinear, and unascertained characteristics, which is an extremely complicated problem. This paper introduces a comprehensive method to classify the rock mass with complex joints. Firstly, evaluation indexes are described by the interval number theory. Secondly, the weight values of the evaluation indexes are determined by the analytic hierarchy process (AHP). Thirdly, the connectional expectation between interval numbers is analyzed and the classification grade of jointed rock mass quality is identified by the set pair analysis theory. The new method can not only describe the dynamic evolution trend of various influencing factors, but also simplify the analysis process of the relationship between interval numbers. The Songta dam abutment rock mass is selected as a study case to verify the rationality of the new method. The classification results of rock mass quality obtained by the new method are in accordance with the actual situation and are consistent with the results provided by the RMR classification.

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