Rock mass rating system with application to construction of breakwaters, southeast of Iran

Abstract

A tremendous amount of rock is used in constructing shoreline protective structures on which the influence of marine environments is totally different from other areas. These materials must be classified according to particular size, shape and grading as specified by marine structure designers. Other properties of rock such as density are needed to be incorporated in design equations. Moreover, tough conditions prevailing marine environments cause the durability of rock to assume quite a peculiar and important stature. Durability is defined as the ability of rock to maintain its physical and mechanical properties for the period of time that it is present in an engineering structure. Hence, durability is a function of rock properties and the environment or conditions surrounding it. This study attempts to look further into rock materials of Pozm, Tis, Chabahar, Ramin, Briz, and Pasabandar's breakwaters in the southeast of Iran from the view point of their durability and degradation in the armour layer. Also, it is aimed at setting forth appropriate criteria to quickly evaluate quality and durability of regional rock materials by considering samples of durable and indurable rocks of breakwaters, paying attention to field observations and durability evaluation engineering tests as well as introducing the most proper rock material deposits of the region.