Field tests in rocks

V B Maji
Dept. of Civil Engg.
IIT Madras
Objective

 The geological structure of the area – topography

and geomorphology, existence of hills, slopes,
valleys, plains, plateaus, concurrence of folds,
faults and major unconformities, joint system,
river lakes springs, drainage system.
 The lithology of the area – Type of rocks in
different areas and their sequence, physico-
mechanical properties
 Ground water condition- relative position of water
table, seasonal variation, whether the project is
above the local and regional water table.
 Seismicity of the region – seismic attenuation,
peak ground acceleration, liquefiable or not?
Method of site investigation

 Surface investigation –
--aerial survey, geological maps,
-- hydrological survey – drainage
pattern, discharge details, water
table details,

Sub-surface investigation – drilling

bore holes, trenches, drift/ tunnels,
geophysical investigation
 ROCK CORE LOGGING
ASTM standards
D2113-08

Picture showing core box

with cylindrical cores

Obtaining rock core is expensive

Must therefore maximise amount of data
recorded
Should be presented in a readily understood
form
This involves the careful systematic logging of
rock cores by a qualified engineering geologist
Final log should include
•General Information
• Borehole number
• Location and orientation of borehole
• Drilling technique
• Contract details
•Drilling progress
• Drillers daily record
• Flush returns
• Standing water levels
Core handling
 Expensive information may be lost if
cores are not properly labelled
 Cores are contained in core boxes,
• Must be sound and robust
• Core is heavy so must be an
appropriate size to be handled by two
people
• Normally 1.5m long
• Should be made of hard board for
durability
Rock Core Logging
Natural discontinuities will normally be:
• Planar
• Discoloured - weathered
• Form in sets
• Sometimes in filled
Man made fractures will normally be:
• Irregular
• Fresh
• random
Laboratory Investigation

Core Drill for cylindrical

rock specimens and
cutting and trimming of
rock specimens
 CORE CUTTER
CORE EXTRUCTOR
Specimen preparation
 Strength and deformation properties
 Strength and deformation properties play a very important role while
designing structures in/on rocks.
 Determining the appropriate strength parameters are important as
the design should be in accordance with the
 type of Structures,
 their Loading characteristics
 the Characteristics of rocks in the bearing strata.
 The important design aspects and the shearing failure possibilities are
to be checked before any superstructure or heavy temporary load
allowed on the bearing strata.
 Appropriate tests to determine various strength properties for rock
need to be planned before any final design.
 Deformability of rocks

Capacity of rock to strain under applied load

Extent of irrecoverability of strain in
reference to load cycles – is equally
important
 Insitu tests

Essential part of geotechnical site

investigation

In-situ tests are usually the best means

for determining the engineering
properties of subsurface materials and in
many cases, may be the only way to
obtain meaningful results.
 Insitu Tests
 Laboratory tests have the limitations like variability
and sample disturbance. Also, testing is done on small
specimens and extrapolation of the measured properties
for the entire site is often challenging.
 In contrast, insitu test provide the response of a larger
mass under natural insitu condition. The limitation
includes poorly defined boundary condition, cost and
time, approach and site condition, non-uniform and
high strain rates imposed during testing and inability to
control drainage condition etc. Despite these
limitations insitu tests are most acceptable and essential
part of any geotechnical site investigation and design.
Large scale insitu tests are necessary for design
consideration of major projects because laboratory
tests invariably lead to an overestimate of the
properties of rock mass.

Geotechnical investgation and design a

rock mass always insists insitu tests
 Requirement of Insitu tests
 Test should affect a rockmass to the extent
that it represents the behaviour of the
affected rockmass or zone
 Cost should be low without compromising
quality
 Equipment used should be simple and
compact
 Nearest to actual stress condition
 As per theory on which the test is based
 Load should be applied in the direction
representing actual anticipated direction
Type of insitu tests

Type and no. of insitu tests usually depends

upon
----The type of structure and its importance
----Rock strata condition

Insitu tests can be put in general following

categories
 Deformability tests
 Shear test
 Strength tests
 Tests for internal stresses
 Strength and deformation properties

 Strength and deformation properties play a very important

role while designing structures in/on rocks.
 Determining the appropriate strength parameters are
important as the design should be in accordance with the
 type of Structures,
 their Loading characteristics
 the Characteristics of rocks in the bearing strata.
 The important design aspects and the shearing failure
possibilities are to be checked before any superstructure or
heavy temporary load is allowed on the bearing strata.
 Appropriate tests to determine various strength properties for
rock need to be planned before any final design.
 Deformability of rocks

Capacity of rock to strain under applied load

Extent of irrecoverability of strain in reference to
load cycles – is equally important
 Insitu deformation modulus
Plate load test
Objective is to findout the extent to which the rock
mass will deform under an externally imposed load.
Test site preparation
and test setup
Deformation modulus (reloading) is estimated
from loading response of last loading cycle. Elastic
modulus is estimated from last unloading cycle.
Modulus values are estimated based on
Boussinesq solution for a point load on infinite
homogeneous, isotropic and linearly elastic
material. Equation is of the from (IS7317:1993),

Em

1   2
P
 A
Where,
E = Elastic/deformation modulus in kg/cm2
m = 0.96 for circular plate and 0.95 for square plate
δ = Incremental displacement (deformation or settlement)
of bearing plate in one loading cycle in cm
P = Incremental applied load in kg
A = Area of test plate in cm2
μ = Poisson’s ratio of rock mass
 800 Typical results for
700
the PLT
600

Normal rocks
500
Load (KN)

400

300

200

100

0
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4
Deformation (mm)

600

500

400
Load (KN)

300

200

At shear zone 100

0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
Deformation (mm)
Standerd Test set-up for Uniaxial Jacking
Equipment in Drifts
Preparation of Site for Uniaxial Jacking Test
(Courtesy : AIMIL Ltd.)
Plate load test
set-up showing
position of
borehole
extension
meters
Horizontal Uniaxil Jacking Test in Progress
Vertical uni-
axial Jacking
Calculations:
Calculations contd…
 Pressuremeter tests
 Performed by applying pressure to the sidewalls of
the borehole
 Two units- one readout that rests on the ground
surface and the probe that is inserted into the
borehole.
 Once the probe is at the test depth, the guard
cells are inflated to brace the probe in place.
 Then the measuring cell is pressurized with water,
inflating its flexible rubber bladder, which exerts a
pressure on the borehole wall. As the pressure in
the measuring cell increases, the borehole walls
deform. The pressure within the measuring cell is
held constant for approximately 60 seconds and
the increase in volume required to maintain
the constant pressure is recorded.
Pressuremeter tests
Probe Diameter of Bore hole (mm) Vc in cubic cm

EX 34 535
AX 44 553
BX 60 571
NX 76 790
 Insitu Direct shear test
Normal Load

Rock to rock
specimen
casing

Test horizon
rock
specimen
Rock to concrete
Shear Load

Encapsulating
material
 Insitu Direct shear test

Shear Stress  MPa

Str ength
hear p
ak S
Pe

Strength r
Cp ual s hear
a Resid
C'
O
Normal stress  n MPa

Where, r = residual friction angle, p = peak friction angle

a = apparent friction angle, C' = apparent cohesion
Cp= peak cohesion

Shear strength vs. normal stress plot

 Test
Blocks

Test
setup
 Shear Stress vs Deformation Graph

1.60
1.40
Shear stress vs.
Shear Stress (MPa)
1.20 shear
displacement
1.00
0.80
0.60
0.40
response of
0.20
0.00
rock to rock
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14
direct shear
Deformtion ( mm)

Shear Stress vs Deformation Graph

Shear stress
0.70

0.60
Shear Stress (MPa)

0.50

0.40
vs. shear
0.30 displacement
0.20

0.10
response of
0.00
0 5 10 15 20 25
concrete to
Deformtion ( mm) rock direct
shear test.
 Shear Stress vs Deformation Graph

0.35

Shear Stress (MPa)

0.30

0.25
Shear stress vs.
0.20 shear
displacement
0.15

0.10

0.05
response of rock
to rock direct
0.00
0 5 10 15 20

Deformtion ( mm)
shear
Shear Stress vs Deformation Graph
At shear zone
0.30

0.25
Shear Stress (MPa)

0.20

0.15

0.10

0.05

0.00
0 5 10 15 20 25

Deformtion ( mm)
 1.6
Peak shear stress (MPa) 1.5 Cohesion= 0.96MPa
1.4 Friction = 40o
1.3
1.2
y = 0.8525x + 0.957
1.1
1
0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7
Normal stress (MPa)

Residual shear stress (MPa)

0.9

0.7

Cohesion= 0.25 0.5

MPa y = 0.7575x + 0.2555

0.3
Friction 37o 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8
Normal stress (MPa)