7. Conclusion

This article presented the classic rock mechanics tools and methods used by engineers to characterize rocks for geotechnical projects. In particular, the article highlighted the importance of the effect of scale, with particular emphasis on the mechanical behavior of rocks, their deformability and strength. In particular, instantaneous elastic and elasto-plastic behavior, as well as deferred behavior, were presented. A clear distinction was made between brittle and ductile rocks, but it was emphasized that many rock behavior traits depend on conditions such as pressure, temperature and water.

Rock mechanics plays a central role in projects of societal and environmental importance: storage of radioactive waste in deep clay rocks, CO ₂ storage, geothermal energy, extraction of mineral resources, etc. All these applications...