Dyke, Gregory Paul2008-05-202008-05-202008-05-20http://hdl.handle.net/10539/4858The three most common rock mass classification systems in use in the South African mining industry today are Bieniawski’s (1976) Geomechanics or RMR System, Barton et al.’s (1974) Q-System and Laubscher’s (1990) MRMR System respectively. Of these three systems, only the MRMR Classification System was developed specifically for mining applications, namely caving operations. In response to the increased use of the MRMR Classification System in the mining industry, and concerns that the MRMR System does not adequately address the role played by discontinuities, veins and cemented joints in a jointed rock mass, Laubscher and Jakubec introduced the In-Situ Rock Mass Rating System (IRMR) in the year 2000. A quantitative comparison of the MRMR and IRMR Classification Systems has been undertaken to determine a correlation between the two classification systems, the results of which indicate that there is not a major difference between the resultant rock mass rating values derived from the two Classification Systems. Therefore, although the IRMR System is more applicable to a jointed rock mass than the MRMR System, the MRMR System should not be regarded as redundant, as it still has a role to play as a mine design tool.945233 bytesapplication/pdfenrock mass classificationIn-Situ Rock Mass qualityMining Rock Mass Rating SystemIn-Situ Rock Mass Rating SystemThesis