Free download of all the ISRM Suggested Methods is available to ISRM members registered on the website, for their personal use. Please click here to proceed to the download page.

The Blue Book: "The Complete ISRM Suggested Methods for Rock Characterization, Testing and Monitoring:1974-2006", Edited by R. Ulusay and J.A. Hudson. Price for ISRM members: [EUR 25 + postage]. Price for non-members: [EUR 30 + postage].

The Blue Book can be purchased from the Secretariat or from the Turkish National Group.
Click here to go to the Blue Book webpage.

Non-members of the ISRM can purchase the Suggested Methods directly from the Secretariat using this Purchase Form.

ISRM SUGGESTED METHODS

1- SITE CHARACTERIZATION

SM for Quantitative Description of Discontinuities in Rock Masses - 1978 [EUR 8]

SM for Geophysical Logging of Boreholes - 1981 [EUR 4]
       Part 1 - Technical Introduction
       Part 2 - SM for Single-Point Resistance and Conventional Resistivity Logs
       Part 3 - SM for the Spontaneous Potential Log
       Part 4 - SM for the Induction Log
       Part 5 - SM for the Gamma-Ray Log
       Part 6 - SM for the Neutron Log
       Part 7 - SM for the Gamma-Gamma Density Log
       Part 8 - SM for the Acoustic or Sonic Log
       Part 9 - SM for the Caliper Log
       Part 10 - SM for the Temperature Log
       Part 11 - References

2 - LABORATORY TESTING

SM for Petrographic Description of Rocks - 1978 [EUR 4]

SM for Determining Water Content, Porosity, Density, Absorption and Related Properties and Swelling and Slake-Durability Index Properties - 1977 [EUR 4]
       Part 1 - SM for Determining Water Content, Porosity, Density, Absorption and Related Properties
                    SM for Determination of the Water Content of a Rock Sample
                    SM for Porosity/Density Determination Using Saturation and Caliper Techniques
                    SM for Porosity/Density Determination Using Saturation and Buoyancy Techniques
                    SM for Porosity/Density Determination Using Mercury Displacement and Grain Specific Gravity Techniques
                    SM for Porosity/Density Determination Using Mercury Displacement and Boyle’s Law Techniques
                    SM for Void Index Determination Using the Quick Absorption Technique
       Part 2 - SM for Determining Swelling and Slake-Durability Index Properties
                    SM for Determination of the Swelling Pressure Index Under Conditions of Zero Volume Change
                    SM for Determination of the Swelling Strain Index for a Radially Confined Specimen With Axial Surcharge
                    SM for Determination of the Swelling Strain Developed in an Unconfined Rock Specimen
                    SM for Determination of the Slake-Durability Index

SM for Determining Hardness and Abrasiveness of Rocks – 1978 [EUR 4]
       Part 1 – Introduction and Review
       Part 2 - SM for Determining the Resistance to Abrasion of Aggregate by Use of the Los Angeles Machine
       Part 3 - SM for Determination of the Schmidt Rebound Hardness

SM for Determining the Shore Hardness Value for Rock - 2006 [EUR 4]

SM for Determining Sound Velocity - 1978 [EUR 4]

SM for Determining Point Load Strength - 1985 [EUR 4]

SM for Determining the Indentation Hardness Index of Rock Materials - 1998 [EUR 4]

SM for Determining Block Punch Strength Index (BPI) - 2001 [EUR 4]

SM for Determining the Uniaxial Compressive Strength and Deformability of Rock Materials - 1979 [EUR 4]
       Part 1 - SM for Determination of the Uniaxial Compressive Strength of Rock Materials
       Part 2 - SM for Determining Deformability of Rock Materials in Uniaxial Compression

SM for Determining the Strength of Rock Materials in Triaxial Compression - 1978 [EUR 4]

SM for Determining Shear Strength - 1974 [EUR 4]
       Part 1 - SM for In Situ Determination of Direct Shear Strength
       Part 2 - SM for Laboratory Determination of Direct Shear Strength
       Part 3 - SM for In Situ Determination of Shear Strength Using a Torsional Shear Test

SM for Determining Tensile Strength of Rock Materials - 1978 [EUR 4]
       Part 1 - SM for Determining Direct Tensile Strength
       Part 2 - SM for Determining Indirect Tensile Strength by the Brazil Test

SM for Laboratory Testing of Argillaceous Swelling Rock - 1989 [EUR 4]
       Part 1 - SM for Sampling, Storage and Preparation of Test Specimens
       Part 2 - SM for Determining Maximum Axial Swelling Stress
       Part 3 - SM for Determining Axial and Radial Free Swelling Strain
       Part 4 - SM for Determining Axial Swelling Stress as a Function of Axial Swelling Strain

SM for Laboratory Testing of Swelling Rocks - 1999 [EUR 4]
       Part 1 - SM for Sampling, Storage and Preparation of Test Specimens
       Part 2 - SM for Determining Axial Swelling Stress
       Part 3 - SM for Determining Axial and Radial Free Swelling Strain
       Part 4 - SM for Determining Axial Swelling Stress as a Function of Axial Swelling Strain

SM for the Complete Stress-Strain Curve for Intact Rock in Uniaxial Compression - 1999 [EUR 4]

SM for Determining the Fracture Toughness of Rock - 1988 [EUR 4]
       Part 1 - SM for Determining Fracture Toughness Using Chevron Bend Specimens
       Part 2 - SM for Determining Fracture Toughness Using Short Rod Specimens

SM for Determining Mode I Fracture Toughness Using Cracked Chevron Notched Brazilian Disc (CCNBD) Specimens - 1995 [EUR 4]

3 - FIELD TESTING

3.1 DEFORMABILITY TESTS

SM for Determining In Situ Deformability of Rock - 1979 [EUR 4]
       Part 1 - SM for Deformability Determination Using a Plate Test (Superficial Loading)
       Part 2 - SM for Field Deformability Determination Using a Plate Test Down a Borehole
       Part 3 - SM for Measuring Rock Mass Deformability Using a Radial Jacking Test

SM for Deformability Determination Using a Large Flat Jack Technique 1986 [EUR 4]

SM for Deformability Determination Using a Flexible Dilatometer – 1987 [EUR 4]
       SM for Deformability Using a Flexible Dilatometer with Volume Change Measurements
       SM for Deformability Using a Flexible Dilatometer with Radial Displacement Measurements

SM for Deformability Determination Using a Stiff Dilatometer - 1996 [EUR 4]

3.2 IN SITU TRESS MEASUREMENTS

SM for Rock Stress Determination - 1987 [EUR 4]
       SM for Rock Stress Determination Using a Flatjack Technique
       SM for Rock Stress Determination Using the Hydraulic Fracturing Technique
       SM for Rock Stress Determination Using a USBM-Type Drillhole Deformation Gauge
       SM for Rock Stress Determination Using a CSIR- or CSIRO-Type Cell with 9 or 12 Strain Gauges

SM for In Situ Stress Measurement Using the Compact Conical-Ended Borehole Overcoring (CCBO) Technique - 1999 [EUR 4]

SM for Rock Stress Estimation - 2003
       Part 1: Strategy for Rock Stress Estimation [EUR 4]
       Part 2: Overcoming Methods [EUR 4]
       Part 3: Hydraulic Fracturing (HF) and/or Hydraulic Testing of Pre-existing    Fractures (HTPF) [EUR 4]
       Part 4: Quality Control of Rock Stress Estimation [EUR 4]

3.3 GEOPHYSICAL TESTING

SM for Seismic Testing Within and Between Boreholes - 1988 [EUR 4]
       Part 1 - Technical Introduction
       Part 2 - SM for Seismic Testing Within a Borehole
       Part 3 - SM for Seismic Testing Between Boreholes
       Part 4 - SM for Seismic Tomography

SM for Land Geophysics in Rock Engineering - 2004 [EUR 4]
       Seismic Refraction
       Shallow Seismic Reflexion
       Electrical
       Electromagnetic
       Ground Penetration Radar
       Gravity
       Radiometric

SM for Borehole Geophysics in Rock Engineering - 2006 [EUR 8]
       Velocity Measurements Along a Borehole
       Electric and Electromagnetic Logging
       Nuclear Logging
       Vertical Seismic Profiling
       Seismic Tomography
       Resistivity Tomography
       Seismic Ahead of a Tunnel Face

3.4 OTHER TESTS

SM for Rapid Field Identification of Swelling and Slaking Rocks - 1994 [EUR 4]

SM for Large Scale Sampling and Triaxial Testing of Jointed Rock - 1989 [EUR 4]

3.5 BOLTING AND ANCHORING TESTS

SM for Rockbolt Testing - 1974 [EUR 4]
       Part 1 - SM for Determining the Strength of a Rockbolt Anchor (Pull Test)
       Part 2 - SM of Determining Rockbolt Tension Using a Torque Wrench
       Part 3 - SM for Monitoring Rockbolt Tension Using Load Cells

SM for Rock Anchorage Testing - 1985 [EUR 4]

4 - MONITORING

SM for Monitoring Rock Movements Using Borehole Extensometers - 1978 [EUR 4]

SM for Monitoring Rock Movements Using Inclinometers and Tiltmeters - 1977 [EUR 4]
       Part 1 - SM for Monitoring Rock Movements Using a Probe Inclinometer
       Part 2 - SM for Monitoring Rock Movements Using Fixed-in-Place Inclinometers
       Part 3 - SM for Monitoring Rock Movements Using Tiltmeters

SM for Pressure Monitoring Using Hydraulic Cells - 1980 [EUR 4]

SM for Surface Monitoring of Movements Across Discontinuities - 1984 [EUR 4]
       SM for Monitoring Movements Across Discontinuities Using Glass Plates
       SM for Monitoring Movements Across Discontinuities Using Pins and a Tape
       SM for Monitoring Movements Across Discontinuities Using a Portable Mechanical Gauge
       SM for Monitoring Movements Across Discontinuities Using a Remote Reading Electrical Jointmeter

SM for Blast Vibration Monitoring - 1992 [EUR 4]

DISCLAIMER: Most of the Suggested Methods documents were originally published as articles in the International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences. Accordingly, the ISRM cannot supply the original documents (which are in the Journal issues). All the items above are supplied as photocopies.