Examination arrangement

Course content

The course is aiming to give students basic knowledge of numerical analysis for rock engineering. The intention is that students will learn the fundamental theory and application of the numerical methods used in rock engineering. Two introductory lectures will be given at the beginning of the semester. Popular codes like RS2 and ABAQUS will be used in the projects. The course is carried out mainly in guided self-study and a project report shall be submitted. There will be arranged several colloquia throughout the semester where students will present the progress of their course assignments (individual for each student) and discuss various aspects of numerical modelling. The semester's coursework will be a project report, individual for each student. The subject for the project assignment will be individual for each student and will be agreed upon through a discussion with the educator at the beginning of the semester.

Learning outcome

KNOWLEDGE: The student will obtain knowledge in numerical modelling, utilising their knowledge in rock mechanics and rock engineering for numerically analysing stress, displacement, stability/instability condition for underground opening or rock slope.

SKILLS: The student will be able to use a selected program (e.g. RS2, ABAQUS or others) for analysing their selected issues. The issue can be stability of an underground opening (tunnel, cavern, or mining) or a rock slope (open pit mine, road slope, or natural slope), behavior of a jointed rock mass, etc.

GENERAL COMPETENCE: The student will develop their capabilities in understanding computational rock mechanics and rock engineering. The student will develop their competence in using a numerical tool to analysing the stress, displacement, and yielded condition for evaluating the stability/instability of an opening or slope in rock.

Learning methods and activities

This is basically a self-study course. However, 2 lectures will be given at the beginning of the course. Students will perform an analysis with a selected commercial code on a selected project and submit a report. A number of colloquia will be arraged throughout the semester to discuss the individual assignments.

Further on evaluation

To pass the course a score of at least 70 percent is required.

Specific conditions

Recommended previous knowledge

Theory of elasticity. Theory of plasticity. Rock mechanics.

Required previous knowledge

Requires admission to the PhD programme Engineering, specialization within Engineering Geology and Rock Mechanics, or approval from the person with course responsibility.

Course materials

Individual for each participant in the course.