Article
Article
Rock mechanics
Article By:
Kemeny, John M. Department of Mining and Geological Engineering, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona.
Last reviewed:December 2019
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1036/1097-8542.592200
The scientific discipline that deals with understanding how rocks deform and fail due to natural and human-induced forces at scales ranging from micrometers to kilometers. Rock mechanics is also the engineering discipline for designing and stabilizing underground and surface excavations and rock foundations.
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