Abstract：Maximum entropy (ME) method is used to generate probability density functions of rock mechanics parameters from sample data. The Lagrangian function is introduced to infer the analytical form of the ME density function. The Newton iteration method is combined with Kolmogorov-Smirnov test in order to determine the parameters of the ME density function and assess the availability of ME density function. A few examples are used to illustrate the applicability of proposed method. Two classical distributions，the normal distribution and the exponential distribution，are compared with the corresponding ME density functions generated from the moments. Little differences are found out between classical distribution and its corresponding ME density function. The ME density function of a rock uniaxial compressive strength is generated using the moments about the origin. Kolmogorov-Smirnov test is used to verify the ME function. The results of the case study show that the ME function is accurate enough and can be used in stochastic reliability analysis of rock engineering.
