THE APPLICATION OF ROCK MASS CLASSIFICATION SYSTEMS TO UNDERGROUND EXCAVATION IN WEAK LIMESTONE, ATATURK DAM, TURKEY

The Ataturk dam was built across the Firat River on clayey limestone. A grout curtain, providing impermeability in the left and right abutme nts, was done in grouting galleries. The well known rock mass classifi cation systems for tunneling purposes [rock structure rating (RSR), ro ck mass rating (RMR) and rock mass quality index (Q)] were used to cla ssify the rock mass along these galleries. Based on RSR, RMR and Q val ues, the rock masses in the galleries have been classified into three different classes. Correlation between the three classification system s is discussed and suggestions are made for using rockbolt, shotcrete with wiremesh and steel ribs for supporting the rock mass. (C) 1998 El sevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.