Usefullness of Rock Quality Designation for Determination of Rock Quality

The rock quality designation (RQD) is a commonly used index for the description of rock mass fractured state. The RQD was initially introduced for civil engineering applications, and it has been quickly adopted in mining, engineering geology as well as geotechnical engineering. The success of the RQD is in great part, due to its simplicity. The determination of rock mass strength using the technique of RQD can be performed in field or in the laboratory. When properly carried out, RQD forms a basic element in most used rock mass classification systems in engineering geology and geotechnical engineering. The report illustrates concepts used in determining the strength rock mass using the RQD technique. The determination of rock mass strength using the technique of RQD can be performed in field or in the laboratory. The RQD had done on rock mass gives different results ranging from very poor to excellent rock.