ABSTRACT
Site assessments in fractured rock present many unique problems that require somewhat different field and laboratory methods than would be used in granular materials. A critical element in the successful evaluation of fractured geologic materials is the ability to identify and evaluate migration pathways through the bedrock. There are a variety of analytical procedures that investigators can employ to assist in identifying these principal migration pathways. These methods will be addressed within the content of the Phase I and Phase II site assessment scope of work. The rocks discussed under this heading include indurated rocks, such as igneous, intrusive (plutonic) and extrusive (eruptive) types, metamorphic rocks and indurated sedimentary rocks (sandstone, quartzite, shale, etc.). The fractures and fissures in these rocks remain relatively unchanged as the water circulates, unlike limestone and dolomites in which solution and erosion cause the fissures and fractures to grow larger through geologic time.
