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Evaluation of Methods for Determining Crack Initiation in Compression Tests on Low-Porosity Rocks

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Abstract

Laboratory testing of rocks is traditionally carried out to determine the peak strength using the ISRM Suggested Methods or other suitable standards. However, it is well known that in low-porosity crystalline rocks there are at least three distinct stages of compressive loading that can be readily identified if the stress–strain response is monitored during the loading process: (1) crack initiation, (2) unstable crack growth, i.e., crack coalescence and (3) peak strength. Crack initiation is noted as the first stage of stress-induced damage in low-porosity rocks, yet the suggested guidelines of the ISRM for compression tests make no mention of crack initiation. In addition, recent research suggests that crack initiation can be used as an estimate for the in situ spalling strength, commonly observed around underground excavations in massive to moderately jointed brittle rocks. Various methods have been proposed for identifying crack initiation in laboratory tests. These methods are evaluated using ten samples of Äspö Diorite and the results are compared with a simplified method, lateral strain response. Statistically, all methods give acceptable crack-initiation values. It is proposed that the ISRM Suggested Methods be revised to include procedures suitable for establishing the crack-initiation stress.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to acknowledge the financial contribution of Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Company through the DECOVALEX Project. The authors would like to thank Lars Jacobsson (SP Sweden) for providing the stress–strain data for Äspö Diorite.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2W2, Canada

    Mohsen Nicksiar & C. D. Martin

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  1. Mohsen Nicksiar
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  2. C. D. Martin
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Correspondence to Mohsen Nicksiar.

Appendix

Appendix

See Fig. 14.

Fig. 14
figure 14figure 14

Äspö Diorite stress–strain curves in unconfined compressive strength test

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Nicksiar, M., Martin, C.D. Evaluation of Methods for Determining Crack Initiation in Compression Tests on Low-Porosity Rocks. Rock Mech Rock Eng 45, 607–617 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-012-0221-6

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