Designation: D4644 − 16

Standard Test Method for

Slake Durability of Shales and Other Similar Weak Rocks1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D4644; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.

1. Scope* D2113 Practice for Rock Core Drilling and Sampling of

1.1 This test method covers the determination of the slake Rock for Site Exploration
durability index of a shale or other weak rock after three drying D2216 Test Methods for Laboratory Determination of Water
and two wetting cycles with abrasion effects. (Moisture) Content of Soil and Rock by Mass
D3740 Practice for Minimum Requirements for Agencies
1.2 Units—The values stated in SI units are to be regarded Engaged in Testing and/or Inspection of Soil and Rock as
as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical Used in Engineering Design and Construction
conversions to inch-pound units, which are provided for D4753 Guide for Evaluating, Selecting, and Specifying Bal-
information only and are not considered standard. Reporting of
ances and Standard Masses for Use in Soil, Rock, and
test results in units other than SI shall not be regarded as
Construction Materials Testing
nonconformance with this test method.
D5079 Practices for Preserving and Transporting Rock Core
1.3 All observed and calculated values shall conform to the Samples
guidelines for significant digits and rounding established in D6026 Practice for Using Significant Digits in Geotechnical
Practice D6026. Data
1.3.1 The procedures used to specify how data are collected/ E11 Specification for Woven Wire Test Sieve Cloth and Test
recorded or calculated in this standard are regarded as the Sieves
industry standard. In addition, they are representative of the
significant digits that generally should be retained. The proce- 3. Terminology
dures used do not consider material variation, purpose for
obtaining the data, special purpose studies, or any consider- 3.1 Definitions:
ations for the user’s objectives; and it is common practice to 3.1.1 For terminology used in this test method, refer to
increase or reduce significant digits of reported data to be Terminology D653.
commensurate with these considerations. It is beyond the scope 3.2 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:
of this standard to consider significant digits used in analysis
3.2.1 slake durability index—the percentage by dry mass of
methods for engineering design.
a collection of shale or similar rock pieces retained on a 2.00
1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the mm (No. 10) sieve after three cycles of oven drying and two
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the cycles of each 10 min of soaking in distilled water within a
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro- standard tumbling and abrasion action.
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use. 4. Summary of Test Method
2. Referenced Documents 4.1 This test method consists of placing ten pieces of
2.1 ASTM Standards:2 specimens each with mass of 40-60 g in a wire mesh drum
D653 Terminology Relating to Soil, Rock, and Contained mounted in an apparatus where the drum is partially submerged
Fluids in a trough filled with distilled water. The specimens in the
drum are rotated in the water for two cycles. Each cycle
includes rotation with speed of 20 rpm for 10 minutes. At the
1
This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D18 on Soil and end of first cycle the specimen is oven dried and the total mass
Rock and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D18.12 on Rock Mechanics.
Current edition approved Nov. 1, 2016. Published November 2016. Originally
of specimen retained in the drum is recorded. Then, a second
approved in 1987. Last previous edition approved in 2008 as D4644 – 08. DOI: cycle with the same speed and time period as the first one is
10.1520/D4644-16. performed. The retained total mass of specimen from the
2
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or second cycle is recorded. The slake durability index is calcu-
contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on lated based on both recorded total masses of test specimen
the ASTM website. retained in the drum per each cycle.

*A Summary of Changes section appears at the end of this standard

Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States

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 D4644 − 16
5. Significance and Use 6.3 Balance, with sensitivity of 1 g and having a 3000-g
5.1 The test method is used to estimate qualitatively the capacity, using the guidelines of Guide D4753.
durability of weak rocks through weakening and disintegration 6.4 Miscellaneous Apparatus, including a brush and ham-
resulting from a standard two cycles of wetting and drying in mer.
the service environment. (1-7).3
6.5 Distilled Water.
5.2 This test method is used to assign quantitative durability
6.6 Timer.
index values to weak rocks. A primary example is the Franklin
Rating System (1). 6.7 Camera.
NOTE 1—The quality of the result produced by this standard is NOTE 3—Laboratory has the option of drying the test specimens in the
dependent on the competence of the personnel performing it, and the drum or in a separate specimen’s container. These containers are made of
suitability of the equipment and facilities used. Agencies that meet the materials that are resistant to corrosion and change in mass upon repeated
criteria of Practice D3740 are generally considered capable of competent heating, cooling, and cleaning process. One uniquely numbered (identi-
and objective testing, sampling, inspection, and so forth. Users of this fied) container or numbered-matched container, as required, is needed per
standard are cautioned that compliance with Practice D3740 does not in each water content determination. After finishing each cycle, whole
itself assure reliable results. Reliable results depend on many factors; material from the specimen’s container shall be transferred to number-
Practice D3740 provides a means of evaluating some of those factors. matched drum or vice versa.

6. Apparatus 7. Sampling, Test Specimens, and Test Units

6.1 Slake Durability Device—The drum (Fig. 1) shall be 7.1 The samples shall be selected by visual observation to
made of 2.00 mm (No. 10) square-mesh, woven-wire cloth, include a range of specimens based on rock type, mineral
conforming to the requirements of Specification E11. It shall be constituents, grain sizes and shape, partings, and defects such
cylindrical in shape, with a diameter of 140 mm (5.5 in.) and as pores and fissures. Collect, transport, and store test samples
a length of 100 mm (3.9 in.). The ends shall be rigid plates, and test specimens in such a manner as to retain, as much as
with one removable end. It must be sufficiently strong to retain possible, the natural water content using the guidelines in
its shape during use, but neither the exterior of the mesh nor the Practices D2113 and D5079 and Test Method D2216.
interior of the drum shall be obstructed by a support. The drum
shall be able to withstand a temperature of 110 6 5°C (230 6 7.2 The test specimen shall consist of ten representative,
9°F). A trough shall support the drum in a horizontal manner intact, roughly equidimensional shale or other similar weak
such that the drum is partially submerged and free to rotate rock fragments with mass of 40-60 g each. These fragments
about its axis. The trough shall be capable of being filled with may be naturally occurring or may be produced by breaking the
distilled water to 20 mm (0.8 in.) below the drum axis, and samples with a hammer. Such fragments may be obtained from
shall allow at least 40 mm (1.6 in.) unobstructed clearance rock cores or from test pits, and their sizes will vary with the
between bottom of the trough and the bottom of the mesh. The method of sampling and density of sample. Also, break off any
drum shall be rotated by a motor capable of maintaining a possible existing sharp corners, and remove any dust by
speed of 20 rpm, constant to within 5 %, for a period of 10 min. brushing the fragment just prior to measuring the mass of the
sample. The total mass of each test specimen shall be between
NOTE 2—Devices conforming to these requirements are commercially
450-550 g.
available.
6.2 Drying Oven, thermostatically controlled, capable of 8. Procedure
maintaining a temperature of 110 6 5°C (230 6 9°F).
8.1 Photograph each specimen prior to placement in drum.
3
The boldface numbers in parentheses refer to the list of references at the end of 8.2 Measure mass of each empty drum or specimen con-
this standard. tainer.

FIG. 1 Slake Durability Device Showing Critical Dimensions

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 D4644 − 16
8.3 Using Test Method D2216, Method A, determine the
water content and oven-dried mass of each test specimen
before testing. This shall be done with the test specimen
fragments either in the drum or specimen container to be used
for the actual testing.
8.4 Mount the drum containing the dried test specimen in
the trough and couple to the motor.
8.5 Fill the trough with distilled water at room temperature
to 20 mm (0.8 in.) below the drum axis. Rotate the drum at 20
rpm for a period of 10 min. Record the water temperature at the
beginning and end of the test cycle.
8.6 Remove the drum from the trough immediately after the
rotation period is complete. Oven dry the specimen either in
the drum or specimen container as in 8.3 and obtain the
oven-dried mass.
8.7 Repeat 8.4 through 8.6 to obtain a final oven-dried mass
for the second cycle.
8.8 Photograph specimen retained and file a copy of the
photo with the laboratory report, or record standard verbal
descriptions, as follows:
8.8.1 Type I—Retained specimens remain virtually un-
changed.
8.8.2 Type II—Retained specimens consist of large and
small fragments.
8.8.3 Type III—Retained specimens are exclusively small
fragments.
8.9 See Fig. 2 for representative photographs, each one of
the three types.

9. Calculations
9.1 Calculate the slake durability index (first and second
cycle), as follows:
I d1 5 @ ~ W f1 2 C ! / ~ W i 2 C ! # 3 100 (1)

I d2 5 @ ~ W f2 2 C ! / ~ W i 2 C ! # 3 100

where:
Id1 and Id2 = slake durability index after first and second
cycles accordingly, g,
Wi = mass of drum plus oven-dried specimen
before the first cycle, g,
Wf1 and Wf2 = mass of drum plus oven-dried specimen
retained after the first and the second cycles
accordingly, g, and FIG. 2 Representative Photographs of Fragment Types Retained
C = mass of drum, g. in Drum

10. Report: Test Data Sheet(s)/Form(s)

10.1 The purpose of this section is to establish minimum 10.1.5 As received sample water content as guided by Test
requirements for a complete and usable report. For this Method D2216.
purpose, the report shall include the following: 10.1.6 Description of the appearance of the fragments
10.1.1 Description of the sample, date, and where it was retained in the drum (see 8.8).
obtained. 10.1.7 Before and after test taken photographs.
10.1.2 Start and end of test dates plus initial of technician
who is performing it. 11. Precision and Bias
10.1.3 Slake durability indexes (second cycle) to the nearest 11.1 Test data on precision is not presented due to the nature
0.1 %. of shale and other similar rock tested by this test method. It is
10.1.4 Range and average value of the water temperature. either not feasible or too costly at this time to produce multiple

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 D4644 − 16
specimens which have uniform physical properties. Any varia- accepted reference value of shale or weak rock for this test
tion observed on the data is just as likely to be due to specimen method; therefore, bias cannot be determined.
variation as to operator or laboratory testing variation: Sub-
committee D18.12 welcomes proposals that would allow for 12. Keywords
development of a valid precision statement. There is no 12.1 abrasion resistance; shale; slake durability; weak rocks

REFERENCES

(1) Franklin Trow Associates, “Field Evaluation of Shales for Construc- Standardization of Laboratory and Field Tests, November 1972 .
tion Projects,” Research and Development Project No. 1404, Ministry (5) Lutton, R. J., “Design and Construction of Compacted Shale
of Transportation and Communications, Research and Development Embankments, Volume 3, Slaking Indexes for Design,” Report No.
Branch, Downsview, Ontario, March 1979. FHWA-RD-77-1, Federal Highway Administration, Washington, DC,
(2) Chapman, D. R., “Shale Classification Tests and Systems: A Com- February 1977.
parative Study,” MSCE Thesis and Joint Highway Research Project (6) Surendra, M., “Additives to Control Slaking in Compacted Shales,”
No. 75-11, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, June 1975, 90 pp. Ph.D. Thesis and Joint Highway Research Project No. 80-6, Purdue
(3) Deo, P., “Shales as Embankment Materials,” Ph.D. Thesis and Joint University, West Lafayette, IN, May 1980, 277 pp.
Highway Research Project No. 45, Purdue University, West Lafayette, (7) Oakland, M. W., and Lovell, C. W., “Classification and Other
IN, December 1972, 202 pp. Standard Tests for Shale Embankment,” Joint Highway Research
(4) International Society for Rock Mechanics , “Suggested Methods for Project No. 82-4, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, February
Determining Slake-Durability Index Properties,” Commission on 1982, 171 pp.

SUMMARY OF CHANGES

Committee D18 has identified the location of selected changes to this standard since the last issue
(D4644 – 08) that may impact the use of this standard. (November 1, 2016)

(1) Edited standard title. (9) Edited Section 7 title and its contents.
(2) Edited and renumbered Scope section. (10) Edited Section 8, Procedures, and added to its contents.
(3) Added Gudie D4753 to 2.1. (11) Edited Fig. 2 caption.
(4) Edited Terminology section, 3.1. (12) Added Note 3.
(5) Added Section 4, Summary of Test Method. (13) Edited Section 9, Calculations, and added individual
(6) Edited Section 5, Significance and Use. formula per each cycle.
(7) Edited Section 6, Apparatus. Added requirement of existing (14) Edited Section 10, Report title, and added new item to it.
and use of a timer and camera during the test. (15) Renumbered Sections 4-12.
(8) Edited Fig. 1 caption. (16) Renumbered sections referenced in the test as needed.

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