ROCK MECHANICS

PROPERTIES OF INTACT ROCK

In the beginning of rock mechanics (in the early
1960s),
), more attention has been ppaid to the
intact rock than to the other features of rock
mass.
The reason of it:
First, the subject of it related heavily to
the general mechanics of solid materials.
Second, intact rock samples are obtained
easily
il from
f
drill
d ill cores.

TESTING OF INTACT ROCK

Destructive
i strengthh tests:
Uniaxial compressive strength test
Uniaxial compressive strength
Young modulus
Poissons ratio

Triaxial test
Young modulus
Poisson
Poissonss ratio
Shear strength (cohesion, angle of friction)

Point load test

Indirect tensile strength test (brazilian test, beam
t t)
test)
Direct shear strength test

TESTING OF INTACT ROCK

Nondestructive strength tests:
Schmidt
S h id hhammer
surface strength, estimation of strength

US wave propagation
detetecting of microcracks inside the specimen
estimation of strength

Other tests:
Density properties, porosity
Water content, water absorption
Leakingg test
Water

COMPRESIVE STRENGTH TEST

The compressive strength is probably the most widely
usedd andd quotedd rock
k engineering
i
i parameter.
Under uniaxial load conditions the maximum stress that
the rock sample can sustain referred as uniaxial
compressive strength (ucs or c) .
The most useful description of the mechanical behavior
of intact rock is the complete
p
stress strain curve of
the compressive strength test.
From this curve can be determined the Young modulus
and the post-peak behavior of the rock material.

COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH TEST

COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH TEST

FORCE DISPLACEMENT CURVE

(Hudson&Harrison 2007)

STRESS STRAIN CURVE

There are three zone of the curve:
I
I.
compaction zone
II. linear zone
III. failure zone

a) Stress-strain
Stress strain curve
b) Idealized stress-strain curve
(elastic-perfectly plastic)

Vertical and horizontal

displacements of the
specimen and the
stresses (shear failure)

COMPLETE STRESS STRAIN

CURVE

(Hudson&Harrison 2007)

COMPLETE STRESS STRAIN

CURVE

(Hudson&Harrison 2007)

STRESS STRAIN CURVE

Stress strain
curve for
brittle and for
ductile rock
material:
Rock samples after failure
(Hudson&Harrison 2007)

DIFFERENT STRESS STRAIN

High stiffnes, strength
CURVES
Very brittle (basalt)
Medium stiffnes
Medium strength
Medium brittleness
( es o e)
(limestone)

Low stiffnes
ow strength
st e gt
Low
Brittle
(chalk)

Low stiffnes
Low strength
Ductile
((rock salt))
(Hudson&Harrison 2007)

Characteristic stressstress
strain (s-e) curve
of well known
Hungarian rocks

COMPRESIVE STRENGTH
The compressive strength is not an intrinsic property.
I i i material
Intrinsic
i l properties
i do
d not depend
d
d on material
i l
geometry or the loading conditions used during the
test.
Because of it the height and diameter ratio of the
specimen is 2:1.
Size effect
Larger specimen has reduced compressive strength and
brittleness.

Shape effect
When the ratio of diameter to length increases both the
compressive strength and the ductility increases.

COMPRESIVE STRENGTH

Size effect

Shape effect
(Hudson&Harrison 2007)

COMPRESIVE STRENGTH
The strength is the maximum stress that the rock can
sustain, after it is exceeded the rock may still have
some load-carrying capacity which called residual
strength.

(Hudson&Harrison 2007)

DETERMINATION OF YOUNGS
MODULUS
The Youngs
Yo ngs modulus
mod l s (E) is defined as the ratio of stress
to strain.
It can be
b determined
d
i d in
i two ways:
Tangent modulus: by taking the slope of the stress
strain curve at a given point.
The given point is conventionally at a stress level
corresponding to 50% of the peak stress.

Secant modulus: byy taking

g the slope
p of a line
connecting two points on the linear portion of the
curve.
This line can be anywhere of the linear portion of the curve.

YOUNGS MODULUS

(Hudson&Harrison 2007)

COMPLETE STRESS STRAIN

CURVE

(Hudson&Harrison 2007)

POINT LOAD TEST

The point load test is one of the most common test in
rockk engineering.
i
i
Benefits of it:
The size and the shape of the specimen could be
varied in wide range,
g , therefore it can preformed
p
when
cylindrical specimen is not available.
well so it
This test can easily be preformed on field as well,
gives result very quickly.
The value uniaxial compressive strength can be
estimated by the point load strength.

POINT LOAD TEST

The point load test is able to preform on field and in
l b
laboratory
as well.
ll

(Marinos&Hoek 2001)

POINT LOAD TEST

The point load test options: a) sample from surface explosure,

explosure
b) sample from core drilling (Marinos&Hoek 2001)
Determination of point load strength: F [N] is the collapsing force,
equ va e t diameter
d a ete of
o the
t e sample.
sa p e.
De [[mm]] iss tthee equivalent

F
F
Is 2
De 4 WD

LOADING CONDITIONS

(Hudson&Harrison 2007)

TENSILE STRENGTH TESTS

Uniaxial tensile strength test is not used in engineering
practice.
i
There are two reasons for that:
First, it is very difficoult to preform
Second the rock does not fail in direct tension in situ
Second,
conditions
The tensile strength is normally measured by indirect
tests, in which the tensile stress is generated by
compressive loading.
loading
Brazilian test (splitting test)
Beam test (bending test)

INDIRECT TENSILE STRENGTH

(BRAZILIAN TEST)

The height and diameter ratio of the specimen is 1x1.

Th position
The
i i off the
h specimen
i
is
i horizontal.
h i
l

Determination
i i off the
h tensile
il strengthh [MPa]:
F: collapsing force [N]
d di
d:
diameter
t off the
th specimen
i
[mm]
[
]
h: height of the specimen [mm]

2 F
t
dh

INDIRECT TENSILE STRENGTH

(BRASIL)