Assessing of Engineering Geological Properties for the Rock Mass on Road Cut Slopes within Taurus Terrain, Turkey

The majority of road networks and infrastructures in Turkey pass through high terrain like Taurus Mountains. Therefore, road opening or even widening in these terrains usually needs be blasted, so a good understanding of geoengineering conditions shlould be looked after. This study aims to investigate and evaluate the behavior and failure of rock masses of cut slopes along the Bozkr-Hadm Road, Konya region in the south of Turkey through integrating experimental and empirical parameters using RocLab software. For this study, a field survey with a scan-line manner suggested by ISRM is conducted on rock mass properties in terms of joint properties, rock quality designation (RQD), and grade of weathering. Furthermore, geological strength index )GSI( and rock mass rating (RMR) indexes are quantified and attached to the characterization of rock mass for each cut slope. Laboratory tests including unit weight, uniaxial compressive strength, and shear strength are performed to identify the engineering geological characteristics of intact rocks. Microscopic analyses are also done to detect the weathering effect on the rock structure. Field and laboratory results are employed as input data into RocLab software for rock mass analysis. Research investigation results show that rock masses are often characterized as highly jointed, intersected by three to four dominant joint sets with various weathering grade from low to high. As a result, a comparison of the results shows that the experimental findings of analyses with RocLab software match the site conditions of the rock mass. Consequently, this software can therefore be used to characterize rock mass and predict any further failure that could occur in the future in massive rocks for road cut slopes and thus reserve its long-term stability.