Statistical description of shear parameters of joint sets

Abstract

This paper deals with the statistical analysis of two of the most important properties of rockjoints: the shear stiffness and the shear strength. It is based on data belonging to different groups of tests performed at LNEC and covering various kinds of lithologies (granite, schist, hornfels, etc.). The results of the tests are kept in a data base, thus enabling statistical studies.  Whenever possible, the joints are grouped in sets according to their attitude. For the description of the shear strength and shear stiffness some well-known statistical distributions were tested.