Abstract
Laboratory loading experiments, in general, are used to estimate the mechanical properties of rocks. The application of acoustic emission (AE), a proxy for very small-scale earthquakes, offers insights into rock fracturing, especially when advanced seismological methods are applied. The uniaxial compressive test, the most conventional test within the scope of laboratory rock mechanics, estimates strength, elastic constants, or microcracking thresholds. Obviously, rock structure and grain size heterogeneity are the crucial parameters controlling these mechanical properties. Here, four granites with a different structure were uniaxially loaded, while AE was monitored, in order to observe the manner of fracturing. AE data were utilized at three different quality levels (AE recognition; AE localization; and the AE source mechanism). However, our focus was to study AE source mechanisms via the application of a shear-tensile crack source model. During a uniaxial compressive test, common (structurally independent) AE features led to the general characterization of microfracturing. On the other hand, sample related differences in AE results are discussed with respect to the role of granite heterogeneity. The comprehensiveness of the AE application demonstrated the validity of various levels of AE experiments.
Highlights
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Acoustic emission analysis displays the fracturing of granites during uniaxial test to be rather independent on their structure.
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The microcracking was localized in the circumferential portion of specimens, forming a characteristic “sandclock” failure patterns.
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Sub-vertical cracks with a high-tension component, random azimuthal orientation, and normal faulting dominate the fracturing.
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The difference in Poisson’s ratio suggests that tension cracks weaken the intact parts of rocks while shear events occur in already highly cracked areas.
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With increasing granite heterogeneity, the cracks are larger with higher shear component, and they present a tendency to clustering just before the failure.
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Data availability statement
The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author.
Abbreviations
- AE:
-
Acoustic emission
- CD:
-
Crack damage threshold
- CI:
-
Crack initiation threshold
- STC:
-
Shear–tensile crack source model
- UCS:
-
Uniaxial compressive strength
- WG:
-
Westerly granite
- MR:
-
Mrakotin granite
- SY:
-
Brno syenite
- LI:
-
Liberec granite
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Acknowledgements
We are grateful to Sergei Stanchits and one anonymous reviewer for providing their comments and giving us the opportunity to improve the original manuscript.
Funding
This study was supported by the Czech Science Foundation research grants CSF 21-26542S and 22-00580S and by the Czech Academy of Sciences projects RVO 67985831 and RVO 67985530.
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Petružálek, M., Jechumtálová, Z., LokajĂÄŤek, T. et al. Micro-Fracturing in Granitic Rocks During Uniaxial Loading: The Role of Grain Size Heterogeneity. Rock Mech Rock Eng 57, 1963–1981 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-023-03668-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-023-03668-7