1. Petrographic classification

1.1 Rocks

In civil engineering, rocks are classified as terrains resistant to change in the presence of water. They are solid, non-deformable supports for most constructions. However, this generalization can be misleading in large-scale civil engineering projects, where precision is crucial. Rock mechanics, an ever-evolving discipline, highlights the importance of understanding the mechanical properties and internal structure of rocks, particularly in the wake of disasters such as Malpasset. It is crucial to recognize that, although a block of rock may appear homogeneous on a small scale, rock massifs are often heterogeneous, with faults,...