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Lab Services: Rock testing

Lab Services: Rock testing

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Test Method Title

Standard Test Method for Splitting Tensile Strength of Intact Rock Core Specimens

Reference Number

ASTM D3967

Material

Rock

Test Property

Splitting tensile strength

Description of Test

This test determines the splitting tensile strength of rock by diametral line compression of a disk of rock. This test is a simpler and less expensive alternative to the direct tensile test method. In rock mechanics design, complicated stress fields are often encountered. These include combinations of compressive and tensile stress fields. Under these conditions, tensile strength should be obtained with the presence of compressive stresses (as is what occurs in this test) to be representative of the field conditions.

Preferred Test Sample Size

Number of Test Specimens

Enough samples to represent a valid average of the type of rock under consideration; however the standard recommends 10

Test Specimen Size

Circular disk with a thickness-to-diameter ratio between 0.2 and 0.75. The diameter shall be at least 10 times greater than the largest mineral grain constituent.

Keywords

Compression testing, indirect tensile strength, loading tests, rock, splitting tensile strength, tension properties, Brazilian tensile strength

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