Rock Foundations

The function of rock foundations is to support large scale and/or heavy structures such as high dam, long-span bridge, nuclear power station, highrise building or pylon, and without risk to carry the heavy load of superstructures. Those structures founded on rock, generally constitute the important infrastructures for the highly developed urban life. Due to the presence of discontinuities and weak layers, rock masses are intrinsically discontinuous and/or inhomogeneous. Therefore, the evaluation of bearing capacity, deformation behaviour of foundation of rock, stress- strain distribution, and seepage flow in rock mass below foundation, etc. is very important and intricate. This book contains the recent and comprehensive results from research work on rock foundation engineering. The main topics covered are investigation, testing, mechanical properties of rock and rock mass, numerical approach, bearing capacity of rock foundation, seepage flow, design methodology, improvement and reinforcement of rock mass, monitoring and behaviour of rock foundation.