A Review: Applications of Fuzzy Theory in Rock Engineering

One of the sub-disciplines of geo-engineering is rock engineering, which studies the behavior of rocks against internal and external factors. Fuzzy theory can be used to solve many geotechnical problems due to the uncertainty of geotechnical data and environmental characteristics. This research review aims to briefly examine the application of the fuzzy approach in the field of Rock engineering. The origin of the research in 1985 and the scope of its applications recorded in international journals were considered. The articles were reviewed based on approaches such as the year of publication, the author's nationality, the field of application, and the credibility of the published journal. The applications of fuzzy theory have been studied in seven groups, such as mechanized excavation, underground structures design, rock slope stability, rock mass properties, rock mass engineering classification, and other secondary fields of classification, and the most used tools in each stage were introduced. The research results show an attitude toward applying fuzzy theory in rock mechanics and suggest potential directions for further work.