Rock MR

Overview

Rock MR is a SABLE® module developed to support geotechnical data standardisation, evaluation, and reporting. It provides a validated and configurable system for generating rock mass ratings based on internationally accepted standards. The module enables consistent and auditable calculation of rock mass classifications and facilitates visual validation of results through integrated graphical logs in SABLE® View.

Key Features

Support for Multiple Rating Systems

  • Calculates rock mass ratings using established industry standards: Barton (Q), Bieniawski (RMR), Laubscher (IRMR/MRMR), and Hoek & Brown (GSI).

Unified, Configurable Interface

  • Single intuitive interface for configuration and management of multiple calclogs.
  • Enables transparency and auditability of all configuration inputs and calculations.

Flexible Data Logging

  • Facilitates setup of multiple calclogs from a shared interface for greater flexibility.
  • Enables summarisation and filtering of ratings by geoscientific parameters such as lithology.

Graphical Reporting

  • Generates visual validation logs and reports via SABLE® View, integrating primary, rock mass rating and other geoscientific data.

Why Rock Mass Ratings Are Needed

Rock mass ratings provide a quantitative measure of rock mass strength, crucial for informed decision-making in tunnel design, mine planning, foundation engineering, and broader civil construction. The need for systematic evaluation of rock quality became clear following major engineering failures during the 20th century, such as the Vajont Dam (1963), Malpasset Dam (1959), and Coalbrook Mine (1960). These events catalysed the formalisation of rock mechanics as an engineering discipline, integrating structural geology with elastic theory to better understand and predict rock mass behaviour.

The foundation of any geotechnical analysis is the geoscientific database underpinning it—accurate data on lithology, structural discontinuities, and material properties are essential to ensure meaningful and actionable outcomes.

Current Industry Practices and Challenges

Despite the availability of formalised rock mass classification systems, their implementation in practice is often inconsistent. Data collection is typically spread across teams with varying expertise, frequently captured in spreadsheets with limited oversight. This fragmented approach leads to multiple issues:

  • Inability to audit or trace data origins.
  • Proliferation of non-identical spreadsheets claiming to contain the same ratings.
  • Calculation errors due to manual processes.
  • High levels of data duplication and inconsistency.
  • Loss of data integrity due to limitations of flat-file formats in managing relational geoscientific information.

Additionally, reliance on external consultants—particularly in long-duration projects—results in inconsistent handovers, further degrading data continuity. Over the lifecycle of a mining or exploration project, which may span decades, this lack of standardisation presents a critical challenge to geotechnical reliability.

Rock MR Value

Rock MR addresses these industry challenges by offering:

  • A streamlined, user-friendly application for geotechnical data capture.
  • A single authoritative standard for recording all required parameters to derive rock mass ratings.
  • Centralised configuration and audit trail of all rating calculations.
  • Summary statistics that can be filtered by additional geoscientific attributes, such as lithology.
  • Integrated graphical reporting of geotechnical data and rock mass ratings within SABLE® View.