Theory teaching
Students will be introduce to the rock and soil technical properties that are necessary for defining the appropriate parameters for further analysis. They will learn about the importance of technical properties and laboratory and field methods for their research. In particular, they will be introduced to the methods of research different digging, drilling and blasting parameters, as well as other technical properties that represent the basis for the mining facilities, equipment, open-pit slope and landfills design. The course will provide students to understand the problems of interaction between the working environment (rock and soil) and exploitation process, and determining the basic rock and soil properties as the starting point for all further mining activities.

Practical teaching
The basic rock and soil classification sytems based on the technical characteristics will be studied. Methods for determining material resistance to loosening, crushing, drilling, digging of rock and soil materials will be introduced. The correlation methods of certain physical-mechanical properties with resistance characteristics will be analyzed. Methods for testing stickiness, hardness, toughness, blasting resistance, abrasion and abrasiveness of rock and soil material will be introduced.

1. J. Radojević: "Mehanika stena", Rudarsko-geološki fakultet, Beograd 1989
2. E. Hoek “Practical Rock Engineering (2007 ed.)”, http://www.rocscience.com/hoek/corner/Practical_Rock_Engineering.pdf
3. P. Milanović: “Mehanika stena – posebna poglavlja”, Rudarsko-geološki fakultet, 1985.
4. R. Obradović, N. Najdanović,: "Mehanika tla u inženjerskoj praksi", Rudarski institut, Beograd 1999.
5. N. Gojković, R. Obradović, V Čebašek: “Stabilnost kosina površinskih kopova”, Rudarsko-geološki fakultet, Beograd 2004.