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Mechanical Properties of Rocks

Mechanical Properties of Rocks discusses the strength properties of rocks including compressive strength, tensile strength, and shear strength. There are direct laboratory methods like uniaxial compression testing and indirect field methods like point load testing to determine these strengths. Compressive strength is measured by applying an axial load until failure and is increased by confining pressure. Tensile strength is assessed indirectly using the Brazilian disc test. Shear strength represents a rock's resistance to deformation from shear stresses on weakness planes.

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52 views

Mechanical Properties of Rocks

Mechanical Properties of Rocks discusses the strength properties of rocks including compressive strength, tensile strength, and shear strength. There are direct laboratory methods like uniaxial compression testing and indirect field methods like point load testing to determine these strengths. Compressive strength is measured by applying an axial load until failure and is increased by confining pressure. Tensile strength is assessed indirectly using the Brazilian disc test. Shear strength represents a rock's resistance to deformation from shear stresses on weakness planes.

Uploaded by

Ivy Calimbo
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Mechanical Properties of Rocks

 Mechanical Properties may be known as Strength


Properties as they give information about the performance
of rock materials when subjected to a particular loading
system.
 The tests are carried out on intact rock specimens in the
laboratory or on rock mass in the field to determine the
strength values.
 There are two methods used in testing the strength;
 Direct Methods for calculating the above strength values in the
laboratory
 Indirect Methods for determining the above strength value
approximately in the laboratory or at the field site.
Mechanical Properties of Rocks

This strength includes;


 Compressive Strength
 Tensile Strength
 Shear Strength
Compressive Strength

The compressive strength of a material is a measure of its


ability to resist uniaxial compressive loads without yielding or
fracture.

 UniaxialCompressive Strength is given by the ratio of load to failure


or rupture to cross-sectional area of the specimen.
Compressive Strength
 Direct Methods
 Uniaxial Compression Test
Applying compressive load until failure occurs in the core by a fracture in
the middle using high capacity compressive testing machinery verifies the
Uniaxial Compressive Strength rock material and deformation behavior
under loading.

 Triaxial Compression Test


 Triaxial Compression Test is the strength exhibited by a rock
specimen when it is subjected to confining a pressure in addition to
vertical pressure. Typically, at least 5 specimens are tested, each at
a different confining pressure, to determine the peak strength. The
Mhor’s envelope can also be used to determine shear strength
parameters of rock materials using this test.
 Effect of Confining Pressure

 Peak strength increases.

 There is a transition from typically brittle to fully ductile behavior with the
introduction of plastic mechanism of deformation.

 Effects of Porewater Pressure

 Transition from ductile to brittle behavior.


Compressive Strength

 Examples of Compression Testing Machines


Compressive Strength

 Indirect Methods
 Point Load Test
 The point load test is an index text that classifies rocks based on their
weight. Other intact rock properties for which the test corresponds, such
as uniaxial compressive and tensile power, can be estimated using the
test. The strength ratio at point load in the directions with the lowest
and highest strength index values is defined by the anisotropy index. The
sample load and force gauges are part of the test instrument, and the
sample measurements (length scale) are also determined.

 Schmidt or Rebound Hammer Test


 It is commonly used to determine the hardness of a rock sample’s surface
because it is simple to use and handle. The sample should be in the form
of a core or block, and the test is nondestructive. The best part of the
test is that you can reuse the sample from the previous one.
Compressive Strength

 Point Load Test Machine

 Schmidt or Rebound Hammer Test Machine


Tensile Strength

Tensile strength of a material is defined as the maximum


tensile which a material is capable of developing. In nature, rock
mass is rarely subjected to direct tension, but it is subjected to
tensile stresses. Rocks are weak in tension.
 Direct Method
 In this, rock specimens subjected to uniaxial tensile loading along its
axis. The principal difficulties associated with tensile tests on rock is
the prevention of failure within the grips and the elimination of
bending in the specimen.

 Indirect Method
 For the indirect method, the Brazilian Test of Mellor and Hawkes can
be utilized. The Brazilian disc test is a useful technique to determine
the tensile strength of rock material. The Brazilian disc test has
attracted the attention of a large number of scholars due to its
extensive practical importance in engineering application.
Tensile Strength

 The Brazilian Test of Mellor and Hawkes


The Brazilian test is an indirect method of assessing the tensile
strength of rocks, based on the observation that most rocks in
biaxial stress fields fail in tension when one principal stress is
compressive. In this test a cylindrical specimen of rock is loaded in
a diametrical plane along its axis.

Brazilian Test Apparatus


Shear Strength

The maximum resistance to deformation caused by shear stress


is known as shear strength. Surface frictional resistance along the
sliding plane, interlocking between individual rock grains, and
cohesion in the sliding surface of the rock all contribute to the
shear strength of a rock mass.
 Shear Strength Test
 It primarily concerns the shear strength and shear behavior of the
rock’s shearing and weakness planes, which hold a rock specimen
together. This is the most expensive laboratory strength test because
it necessitates a unique approach for collecting samples from the site
as fracture planes to be tested, as well as the most complex testing
procedures.
Shear Strength

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