Rock quality designation (RQD): time to rest in peace ...
The 1968 definition of RQD was "RQD is a modified core recovery percentage in which all pieces of ''sound'' core over 4 inches long (100 mm) are summed and divided by the length of the core run." A review of 20 years'' experience with RQD was given by and (1989) in a report to the United States Army Corps of Engineers.