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Some aspects of size‐Effect in rock failure
Author(s) -
Dey T.,
Halleck P.
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/gl008i007p00691
Subject(s) - sample size determination , strain gauge , geotechnical engineering , geology , environmental science , materials science , statistics , mathematics , composite material
The Los Alamos National Laboratory is developing a program in large‐volume testing of rocks. One part of this program is the measurement of size effects on the constitutive properties of rock. The other part is the development of models to explain and predict these effects. We use a unique 44‐MN hydraulic press to load large specimens to failure, while measuring stress‐strain behavior, failure strength, and acoustic emission. In this paper, results of stress‐strain measurements taken on a single sample of "Texas Pink" granite are reported. We took two sets of data with gauge lengths of 0.3 and 10.0 cm. We also discuss existing models of size effect on strength and conclude that a stochastic model is needed to replace existing empirical deter ministic ones. Estimates of initial crack abundance together with our simple model of failure explain the variation of strength with size reported by some investigators.