Shear Strength of Rock Discontinuities and Concrete

Modern evaluation of shear strength in rock foundations for dam engineering focuses on the behaviour of rock discontinuities and concrete–rock interfaces, which are critical to dam design, safety, and rehabilitation. Understanding the shear response along joints, faults, bedding planes, and contact surfaces is fundamental to assessing foundation stability under operational and extreme loading conditions.

This course provides practical training on the assessment and application of shear strength parameters for rock discontinuities (joints, faults, bedding planes) and concrete–rock contact surfaces in dam foundations. Participants will gain an understanding of key shear strength concepts and governing mechanisms, guidance on selecting appropriate strength models and parameters, insight into laboratory testing, field considerations, and interpretation of results, and practical examples demonstrating application in dam foundation design and safety evaluations.

Visionary rock engineering and geotechnical leader with 25+ years of strategic technical direction, executive advisory, and multidisciplinary team leadership on high-value national and international infrastructure projects in tunnelling, dams, hydropower (including pumped storage), and underground structures.

Proven ability to lead feasibility-to-detailed-design phases, deliver innovative solutions (e.g., pressure tunnel lining alternatives, advanced stress measurement frameworks, hydraulic conductivity assessment methods), and provide independent peer review and risk management for multi-billion-dollar programs such as Snowy 2.0, Trojena Bow-Neom, Pakil (Philippines) and major Australian rail/water tunnel initiatives.

Published textbook author (Rock Engineering for Concrete Dam Foundations), award recipient (David Sugden Award, Australasian Tunnelling Society), Adjunct Associate Professor at UNSW Sydney, and active contributor to industry bodies (Deputy Chair, ATS Victoria; ANCOLD course delivery).

Marco Quirion P. Eng. Ph.D. has over 25 years of experience in rock engineering. Marco received a B.A.Sc (1993), in Geological Engineering from Université Laval, followed by a master and a PhD in Civil Engineering (1999), with specialization in rock mechanics and instrumentation from Université de Sherbrooke. He worked at Roctest Ltd. in geotechnical instrumentation from 2000 to 2005. Since 2005, he has been a rock mechanics engineer with Hydro-Quebec, and he is involved in geological exploration, hydrojacking tests, open pit and underground excavation, rock reinforcement and support, rock mass grouting, dam foundation assessment and monitoring. This experience was gained through his involvement in different hydropower projects: Péribonka, Eastmain 1A, Romaine Complex, Manic-5 Foundation Assessment, Bakhtiari (Iran), to name a few. Marco is also involved with a number of universities in research projects and teaching. From 2013 to 2018, he was a part-time lecturer for the Rock Fragmentation course at McGill University and from 2018 to 2023, for the courses Géomécanique and Géologie de l'ingénieur at Polytechnique Montreal. Marco is currently member of the Rock Grouting Commission of the International Society for Rock Mechanics and contributed regularly to evaluation committees for the National Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC).

Shear Strength of Rock Discontinuities and Concrete–Rock Contact