ER 4014- Rock Mechanics

Rock testing

A.B.N. Dassanayake

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 Rock Testing

• Rocks are tested to determine their physical and

mechanical(Engineering) properties
• Tests may be used to provide information for classification
purposes or for engineering design purposes
• Test for classification is used to group rocks of similar behavior
and provide information on their geomechanical characteristics
• Test for engineering design purposes is used to provide detailed
information on insitu stresses, rockmass strength and
deformation properties
 Rock Testing

• Laboratory Test: Conducted on rock samples prepared by rock

blocks/core taken from the field site
• Field test : Conducted at the field site to determine the bulk
strength properties of rock mass (“Rock mass properties”).
These properties are influenced by the ‘discontinuities’ or planes
of weakness present in the rock mass
• Mechanical properties of an intact rock sample may be much
different from that of the rock mass from which sample was
obtained.
 For Classification For Engineering Design
Rock Testing Purposes Purposes
Density Uniaxial Compressive
Moisture content Test
Porosity Triaxial Compressive Test
Water absorption Direct Shear test
Deformation
characteristics
Rock Testing For Classification Purposes For Engineering
Design Purposes

Discontinuity orientation Point load test

Spacing Direct Shear test
Core recovery Field Permability
Rock Quality Designation In Situ Rock Stress
determination
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 Strength of Intact Rock

• The strength of rocks is the maximum stress it can sustain under

a given set of conditions
– Compressive Strength: It is stress which will cause a
cylindrical rock sample to fail when it is subjected
compressional forces.

– Tensile Strength: It is stress which will cause a rock sample to

fail when it is subjected to two opposing (outward forces).
Tensile strength of rocks is usually much lower than
compressive strength
These different strengths may be tested either
directly (e.g. uniaxial tension test, direct shear test, – Shear Strength: Ability to resist deformation or failure under
etc.) or indirectly (e.g. Brazilian tensile test, triaxial
applied shear stress. Shear stress is the stress component
compression test, etc.).
parallel to a plane, and shear strength is the maximum stress
that a rock material can withstand before undergoing shear
failure
 Uniaxial Compression Test

The uniaxial compression test is conducted by taking a right angled cylinder of intact rock, loading it along its axis
and recording the displacement produced as the force is increased.

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1 2 3

4 5 6

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 Uniaxial Compression Test

… typical record from a uniaxial compression test. Note that the force and displacement have been
scaled respectively to stress (by dividing by the original cross-sectional area of the specimen) and to
strain (by dividing by the original length).

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 Uniaxial Compression Test
400 kN

 = F/A
= 400 kN/[(0.005m)2]
 = 50.9 MPa
10 cm

 = l/lo
= 0.5 cm/25 cm
25 cm 5 mm
 = 0.02
 Elastic
Constants

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 Triaxial Testing

Many varieties of triaxial cells are used in rock

mechanics laboratories, one of the more
common of which is known as a “Hoek” cell.
Because this cell does not require drainage
between tests of the hydraulic oil used to provide
the confining pressures, it is well suited to
carrying out large numbers of tests quickly.
“Hoek” cell Triaxial Testing machine

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 Experimental
setup with ultra-compacted
triaxial cell

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 1

 1 = PC
P1 P2 P3

Initial Hydrostatic Axial Axial

state compression loading loading

PC

Schematic diagram showing the steps for reaching the desired confining
pressure, pore pressure and compression phase of single stage triaxial test.
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 Deformation of sandstone rock
Loading axis
Single stage triaxial compression test

100

Pp = 1 MPa
80
Differential stress (MPa)

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PC = 15 MPa (Sample no. 10)

40 PC = 10 MPa (Sample no. 7)

Loading axis
PC = 5 MPa (Sample no. 5)
20
PC = 2 MPa (Sample no. 4)
100
0
P C = 15 MPa
80 0 1 2 3 4 5
Differential stress (MPa)

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P P = 1 MPa
Stroke based strain (%)
P P = 4 MPa
40
P P = 9 MPa
(a)
20 P P = 14 MPa

0
0 1 2 3 4 5
Stroke based strain (%)

Deformation of Kimachi sandstone samples tested in triaxial compression cell with confining pressure (a) Differential stress
versus stoke based strain graph and blue resin-impregnated thin-section images for (b) 2 MPa confining pressure and 1 MPa
pore pressure and (c) 15 MPa confining pressure and 1 MPa pore pressure. 34
 Failure mode

Axial spliting type Multi shear type or Shear type Plastic flow
wedge type (barreling)

Low High

Confining pressure
 Effects of Specimen Size

Having described how the complete - curve can be obtained experimentally, we can now consider other
factors that affect the complete - curves of laboratory tested rock.

If the ratio of sample length to diameter is kept

constant, both compressive strength and brittleness are
reduced for larger samples. Rock specimens contain
microcracks: the larger the specimen, the greater the
number of microcracks and hence the greater the
likelihood of a critical flaw and effects associated with
crack initiation and propagation.

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 Effects of Specimen Shape

Trends in - curves show that the elastic modulus is basically

unaffected by specimen shape, but strength and ductility
increase as the ratio of sample diameter to length increases.

This is because when a sample is loaded in uniaxial

compression, the mismatch of elastic properties
between the loading platens and sample ends creates a
complex zone of triaxial compression (i.e. the steel
platens restrain the expansion of the rock). This end
effect has little significance for a slender specimen, but
can dominate the stress field in the case of a squat
specimen.

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 Effects of confining pressure

With the application of a confining load an additional energy input is needed to overcome frictional resistance
to sliding over a jagged rupture path. Most rocks are therefore strengthened by the addition of a confining
stress.

As the confining pressure is increased, the rapid

decline in load carrying capacity after the peak
load is reached becomes less striking until, after a
mean pressure known as the brittle-to-ductile
transition pressure, the rock behaves in a near
plastic manner.

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 Temperature Effects

Only a limited amount information is available indicating the effect of temperature on the complete -
curve and other mechanical properties of intact rock.

The limited test data does show though, that

increasing temperatures reduces the elastic
modulus and compressive strength, whilst
increasing the ductility in the post-peak region.

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 Index Tests – Point Load

An index test for rock strength is provided by the point load test. The rock is hydraulically loaded between
spherically truncated, hardened, conical steel platens and fails by the development of tensile cracks parallel
to the axis of loading, often normal but sometimes parallel to the longer axis of the specimen.
Index Tests – Point Load
Index Tests – Point Load

A series of point load tests on slightly weathered sandstone

resulted in the average value of point load strength index
(Is(50)) of 1.12 MPa. Estimate the unconfined compressive
strength (UCS) of this rock.
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Direct Tension Testing
 Brazilian Test

The Brazilian test is an indirect tensile test carried out on discs (short sections of core). The test for rocks is
adapted from a standard for concrete testing.
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 Index Tests – Acoustic Velocity (Ultrasonic wave velocity)

Acoustic velocity in rock cores is easily determined by measuring

the travel time of compression (P-wave) and shear (S-wave) waves through a rock sample.

These transmitted wave velocities depend on the rocks elastic

properties and density. Fractures cause marked changes in the rock’s elastic properties and transmission
velocities. Acoustic velocities are therefore sensitive to fracturing.
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Index Tests – Acoustic Velocity (Ultrasonic wave velocity)

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 Rock Materials
• Reasons for laboratory Testing of
Rocks Materials (Aggregates)

– To assess the usefulness and

quality of a new source of
aggregate (quarry site)
– Compare quality of rock
materials from different sources
– Predict performance in service
– Predict durability
 Index Properties – Durability
Durability measure the changes in rock properties
due to processes of chemical and mechanical
breakdown (eg. exfoliation, hydration, solution,
oxidation, abrasion etc.).

Durability can be very important in engineering

applications. A good index test of rock degradability
is the slake durability test.
 Index Tests – Slake Durability
The slake durability test involves 10 spheroidal lump
samples, approximately 50g each, placed in a steel
mesh drum and weighed. The drum is then placed in a
trough filled with water to a level just below drum axis
and rotated.
After rotating for a set time, the drum is removed and
the material retained dried. The cycle is repeated and
the dried material retained after 2 cycles weighed.
 Questions

1. Estimate the slake durability index Id2 for granite using the
data given in Table

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2. Estimate the slake durability index of sandstone and andesite and determine what rock is preferable
as fill. The lab data for each rock is given in Table

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 Index Tests –
Rebound/Hardness

The Schmidt hammer was originally

developed for non-destructive testing of
concrete. Four types of hammer are
available with varying impact energy.
The rebound of the spring-loaded
hammer mass after impact on the rock
surface can be read directly from the
instrument (Schmidt number) and
correlated to hardness.
 Index Tests – Hardness

… relationship between Schmidt hardness and

uniaxial compressive strength of rock.
Thank you

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