Q-System Tunnel Support and Underground Excavation Design
Application for Mobile Phones and Tablets
using the Android Operating System
Available on the GoogleApp Store:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.geckogeotech.Q_System
Written by Neil Bar & Ermin Sator
January 2017
Q-System Mobile Phone Application User Manual Version 2.0 for Android operating systems (i.e. not for apple iPhone)
The mobile phone application is based on the Q-System which has been used for over 40 years in underground excavations.
Reference Barton, N., & Grimstad, E. 2014, Q-System – An illustrated guide following forty years in tunnelling.
Q-System Mobile Phone Application User Manual for Android operating systems (i.e. not for apple iPhone)
The mobile phone application is based on the Q-System which has been used for over 40 years in underground excavations. Citation: Barton, N., & Grimstad, E. 2014, QSystem – An illustrated guide following forty years in tunnelling. A copy of the original publication is available on: www.nickbarton.com
Q-System Mobile Phone Application User Manual The “Read Me” buttons provide the user background information on the Q-System method as shown below.
Click the “Use-Q-System” button to estimate Q.
Q-System Mobile Phone Application User Manual Excavation Geometry and Type Estimate the excavation span and/or height. Select ESR based on type of excavation.
The “Read Me” button provides the table below.
Q-System Mobile Phone Application User Manual Project Details Enter username, project location, description and country.
Q-System Mobile Phone Application User Manual Photograph If your mobile phone has a camera, use the “Take Photograph” button to take a photograph of the rock mass.
Note: Photograph is for reporting purposes only.
Q-System Mobile Phone Application User Manual RQD In core logging, RQD is the borehole core recovery percentage incorporating only pieces of solid core that are longer than 100 mm in length measured along the centerline of the core (Deere, 1964). Estimate and enter the RQD (%) from observations of the rock mass. The “View input table” button provides the table below.
Q-System Mobile Phone Application User Manual Jn Joint set number refers to the number of discontinuity sets in the rock mass.
Select from the drop-down menu. Use check boxes if tunnel intersection or portal.
The “View input table” button provides the table below.
Q-System Mobile Phone Application User Manual Jr & Ja For the least favourable set, select from the drop-down menus for joint roughness and joint alteration.
The “View input table” button provides the table below.
Q-System Mobile Phone Application User Manual Jw Select from the drop-down menus for joint water reduction factor - Jw.
The “View input table” button provides the table below.
Q-System Mobile Phone Application User Manual SRF Manually type in maximum applicable SRF value The “View input table” button provides the table below.
Options available for estimating vertical stress (σv); σc/σv; and σθ/σc Note: σθ= 3σ1-σ3
Q-System Mobile Phone Application User Manual Review input data The user can review all the input data. Corrections or adjustments can be made by individually selecting a value. This will take the user back to the particular input parameter area. The “Calculate Q” button will estimate Q based on the input data.
Q-System Mobile Phone Application User Manual Results The ‘Q-Result’ and ‘Span or height in m / ESR’ results estimated based on the input data.
The results are displayed graphically using the “View Chart” buttons – refer next pages. The user can use the “Email Report” button to send all of the entered data, calculated Q equations and the photograph. The entered data can be cleared and the program restarted by using the “Reset” button.
Q-System Mobile Phone Application User Manual Results – Graphical The ‘Q-Result’ and ‘Span or height in m / ESR’ are plotted on the Qsupport chart.
Plotted value Input data Select “View Graph Legend” to view the table below.
NOTE: Check for any discrepancies between values and plot.
Q-System Mobile Phone Application User Manual Results - Graphical The ‘Qc’ and ‘Vp’ are plotted on the Modulus and Support Pressure chart.
Input data Plotted value
NOTE: Check for any discrepancies between values and plot.
Q-System Mobile Phone Application User Manual Users are encouraged to report any errors or bugs found in the application to Gecko Geotechnics –
[email protected] Gecko Geotechnics acknowledges the efforts of Ermin Sator (software engineer) for his contributions in developing this application.
For geotechnical engineering advice, contact: Gecko Geotechnics (Australia) www.geckogeotech.com
Nick Barton & Associates (Norway & Brazil) www.nickbarton.com
