This course provides an introduction to rock mechanics principles including the mechanics of rock materials, rock joints and rock masses, rock mechanics characterisation and rock mass classifications. The course is prepared for students studying civil and mining engineering, and other science and engineering disciplines concerning rocks.
The course is an on-line course, with approximately 30 hours of lectures. It covers 5 parts: (a) origin of rocks and rock masses, (b) properties and mechanics of rock materials, (c) properties and mechanics of rock joints, (d) rock mass classifications and properties, and a supplement part (e) rock mechanics testing and analysis.
The lectures are given by Professor Jian Zhao, who has been teaching rock mechanics and rock engineering since 1990, first at Nanyang Technological University of Singapore, then at Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne of Switzerland, and currently at Monash University in Melbourne of Australia. He is a Fellow of the International Society for Rock Mechanics since 2015.