About:

The Rock Engineering Laboratory (REL) is considered one of the first laboratories specialized in the various applications related to rocks in all engineering fields. REL was established in the Faculty of Engineering – Cairo University in 1985 in order to meet the increasing need for rock tests of all kinds and for various geoengineering studies. REL scope and specializations are: field works of engineering geology, testing and mechanics study of rocks, stone materials and building materials. The laboratory has the advantage of the availability of effecient manpower and experinced consultants in various fields and specializtions which makes REL capable of implementing geoengineering and mining projects, conducting laboratory and field tests on rocks and various building materials, providing technical studies and supervision of their implementation.

REL has a long history of restoration and preservation works of archaeological sites and cultural heritage. Over 40 years of experience, REL has utilized engineering and latest technology to the works of documentation and restoration of antiquities at the levels of national and regional projects. In 2018, the laboratory was equipped with the latest technology and equipment used in laboratory, field, and non-destructive testing.

1- Laboratory Testing

  • Uniaxial & Triaxial Tests
  • Indirect rock tensile strength (Brazilian Test)
  • Point Load Test
  • Modulus of elasticity determination through strain measurement
  • Shear Stress Test
  • Taber Abrasion
  • Los Anglos Abrasion
  • Hardness Test
  • Flexural and
  • Adsorption and porosity
  • Density and Specific Weight
  • Permeability
  • Modulus of elasticity determination through Ultrasound waves
  • Thermal Conductivity
  • X-Ray Diffraction (XRD)
  • Petrography by SEMEDX
  • X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF)
  • Organic Matter Content
  • Particle Size Analysis

 

    • 2 – Services and Consulting 

    REL team has wide and various specializations and expertise covering the fields of geoengineering and mining.  State of the art field equipment which utilizes the latest technology are used in order to assure the best quality of results in different applications. In addition, REL has access to many of software packages specialized in geoengineering, mining, and numerical simulation.

    • Topographic survey
    • 3D laser scanning
    • Geological and geoengineering studies
    • Geophysical surveys (GPR, ERT, Seismic) for civil, mining, environmental, and archaeological applications
    • Non-destructive assessment of different types of structures
    • Ore evaluation of mines and quarries
    • Feasibility studies for mining projects
    • Design and production planning of mines and quarries
    • Design and support of underground structures and rock slopes
    • Pre-construction assessment of rock mass
    • Ground water studies

 

 

 

  • 3- Recent and Current Projects:

The laboratory has carried out and participated in more than 130 consulting projects. Below is a list of the most recent projects.

  • Geophysical Surveys of Sukkari Gold Mine (SGM): Subsurface cavities investigation for the main ramp (2020).
  • Mechanical Testing of 1300 Rock Samples from SGM: Mine Life Study. The testing covered Uniaxial, triaxial and Brazilian Tests. (2020-2021)
  • Assessment of ground vibration effects resulting from rock drilling and blasting for SGM: Study on underground mine levels using ground vibration monitor (2020-2021)
  • Non-Destructive Assessment of Remsis II Obelisk in Egyptian Grand Museum. (2019-2020)
  • Study of insallation the obelisk of Ramses II and carrying out mechanical tests for anchor bolts (2020-2021).
  • Ground water level control in some archaeological sites in Banha city. (2021 – ongoing)
  • Study and assessment of archaeological rock columns of Elmahali mosque, Rashid. (2020-2021)

 

 

Lab Director: Dr. Eng. Mohamed Mohy Elkarmoty

Phone: (+2) 01143888380 – (+202) 35678310

Email: rocklab@eng.cu.edu.eg