“…The shear strength of a discontinuity with infill is governed by the thickness of the infill, the material properties of both infill and the discontinuity walls, the roughness of the discontinuity and shape and height of asperities on the discontinuity walls, and the stress condition on the discontinuity. Several studies have been done to determine the influence of infill and roughness on discontinuity shear strength (Amin et al, 2008;Archambault et al, 1990;Bandis, 1990;Barton, 2013;Barton, 1973;Barton & Choubey, 1977;Ghazvinian et al, 2010;Hack, 1998;Hencher & Richards, 1989;Indraratna et al, 2010;Indraratna et al, 2011;Karami & Stead, 2008;Kulatilake et al, 1999;Kulatilake et al, 1995;Papaliangas et al, 1993;Papaliangas et al, 1990;Patton, 1966;Pereira, 1990;Phien-wej et al, 1990;Seidel & Haberfield, 1995;Ulusay & Hudson, 2007;Yang et al, 2001;Zare et al, 2008). Various strength criteria for discontinuities were determined of which Barton's inter-block shear strength (Barton et al, 1974) and the sliding angle following the sliding criterion (Hack & Price, 1995) are used in this study to show the influence of dissolution and precipitation of iron on shear strength.…”