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	Sistema RMR (Rock Mass Rating)	Criterio di rottura di Hoek-Brown	Q-System	Ottimizzazione del layout delle cave sotterranee
Campo	Ingegneria mineraria	Ingegneria mineraria	Ingegneria mineraria	Ingegneria mineraria
Famiglia	Process / pipeline	Process / pipeline	Process / pipeline	Process / pipeline
Anno di origine	1973	1980	1974	1960
Ideatore	Zbigniew T. Bieniawski	Evert Hoek and E. T. Brown	Nick Barton (Norwegian Geotechnical Institute)	Mining Engineering Practice
Tipo	Empirical classification for geotechnical engineering	Empirical criterion for rock mass strength prediction	Empirical index for tunnel support and stability prediction	Optimization framework for underground mine excavation design
Fonte seminale	Bieniawski, Z. T. (1989). Engineering rock mass classifications. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN: 978-0-471-60437-4	Hoek, E., & Brown, E. T. (2002). The Hoek-Brown failure criterion and GSI: 2018 update. Journal of Rock Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, 10(2), 445-463.	Barton, N., Lien, R., & Lunde, J. (1974). Engineering classification of rock masses for the design of tunnel support. Rock Mechanics, 6(4), 189-236.	Brady, B. H. G., & Brown, E. T. (2004). Rock mechanics for underground mining. Springer Science+Business Media.
Alias	RMR, Bieniawski Classification, RMR89	Generalized Hoek-Brown Criterion, HB Criterion	Q Index, Norwegian Geotechnical Institute Classification, Barton System	Stope Design, Underground Mine Layout, Panel Design
Correlati	3	3	3	3
Sintesi	The Rock Mass Rating (RMR) system, developed by Zbigniew Bieniawski starting in 1973, is an empirical classification that characterizes rock mass quality and estimates mining and civil engineering behavior. RMR combines five measurable geotechnical parameters into a single index ranging from 0 to 100, where higher values indicate stronger, more stable rock masses. It is the most widely used rock classification system worldwide for underground mining design.	The Hoek-Brown Criterion, developed by Evert Hoek and E. T. Brown starting in 1980, is an empirical failure criterion that predicts the shear strength of rock masses as a function of confining pressure. It accounts for rock quality (via the Geological Strength Index, GSI) and thus bridges laboratory rock mechanics and field behavior. The criterion is widely used in mining for slope stability, pillar design, and stress analysis.	The Q-System (NGI Index), introduced by Nick Barton and colleagues at the Norwegian Geotechnical Institute in 1974, is an alternative rock mass classification to RMR. It combines six parameters into a dimensionless index Q ranging from 0.001 to 1000, where higher Q values indicate better rock quality. The Q-System is particularly valued for tunnel and underground excavation design due to its explicit consideration of joint roughness and groundwater effects.	Stope layout optimization is the process of designing the size, shape, and spatial arrangement of underground mine excavations (stopes) to maximize ore recovery while maintaining safety and economic viability. It balances the desire for large extraction volumes against rock mechanics constraints and support costs. The layout determines mining productivity, capital investment in support systems, and long-term mine life.