Entry requirements

180 credits including 80 credits in physics and mathematics. Proficiency in English equivalent to the Swedish upper secondary course English 6.

Learning outcomes

On completion of the course, the student should be able to:

• describe the theory behind traditional stress measurements data (i.e. hydraulic injection and overcoring methods),
• explain non-traditional methods (i.e. stress-induced wellbore failure methods),
• perform physical- and mechanical properties measurements in laboratory (index properties, uniaxial- and triaxial testing),
• analyse physical properties measurements from borehole logs,
• perform up-scaling from point-wise measurements to volume of interest for the rock-engineering problem,
• explain different sources of measurement uncertainty,
• describe how acquired data can be further used within numerical analyses and how it can be combined with geophysical data.

Content

Focus is on in-situ stress measurements and analyses. Students will receive training in traditional stress measurement methods in Sweden to determine dimensional loads for different types of underground constructions, but also more non-traditional methods that may be applied at greater depths (stress-induced wellbore failure methods). The students will also learn about other methods on how to constrain the physical properties of the subsurface in laboratory and through borehole logging. The final part of the course regards how point-wise measurements that are obtained from various methods can be made to sample the continuum volume of interest and be up-scaled to the rock-engineering problem. Measurement uncertainties are also addressed within this context, as well as discussion on further use of acquired data within numerical analyses.

Instruction

Lectures, homework, problem solving.

Assessment

Assignments and written exam.

If there are special reasons for doing so, an examiner may make an exception from the method of assessment indicated and allow a student to be assessed by another method. An example of special reasons might be a certificate regarding special pedagogical support from the disability coordinator of the university.