TY - JOUR
T1 - Large-Scale True Triaxial Apparatus for Geophysical Studies in Fractured Rock
AU - Garcia, A. V.
AU - Rached, R. M.
AU - Santamarina, Carlos
N1 - KAUST Repository Item: Exported on 2020-10-01
Acknowledgements: Financial support for this research was provided by the KAUST endowment. The authors would like to thank Gabrielle Abelskamp for her assistance with editing this manuscript.
PY - 2018/5/16
Y1 - 2018/5/16
N2 - The study of fractured rock masses in the laboratory remains challenging because of the large specimen sizes and bulky loading systems that are required. This article presents the design, structural analysis, and operation of a compact and self-reacting true triaxial device for fractured rock. The frame subjects a 50 cm by 50 cm by 50 cm fractured rock specimen to a maximum stress of 3 MPa along three independent axes. Concurrent measurements include long-wavelength P-wave propagation, passive acoustic emission monitoring, deformations, and thermal measurements. The device can accommodate diverse research, from rock mass properties and geophysical fractured rock characterizations, to coupled hydro-chemo-thermo-mechanical processes, drilling, and grouting. Preliminary wave propagation data gathered under isotropic and anisotropic stress conditions for an assembly of 4,000 rock blocks demonstrate the system’s versatility and provide unprecedented information related to long-wavelength propagation in fractured rock under various stress anisotropies.
AB - The study of fractured rock masses in the laboratory remains challenging because of the large specimen sizes and bulky loading systems that are required. This article presents the design, structural analysis, and operation of a compact and self-reacting true triaxial device for fractured rock. The frame subjects a 50 cm by 50 cm by 50 cm fractured rock specimen to a maximum stress of 3 MPa along three independent axes. Concurrent measurements include long-wavelength P-wave propagation, passive acoustic emission monitoring, deformations, and thermal measurements. The device can accommodate diverse research, from rock mass properties and geophysical fractured rock characterizations, to coupled hydro-chemo-thermo-mechanical processes, drilling, and grouting. Preliminary wave propagation data gathered under isotropic and anisotropic stress conditions for an assembly of 4,000 rock blocks demonstrate the system’s versatility and provide unprecedented information related to long-wavelength propagation in fractured rock under various stress anisotropies.
UR - http://hdl.handle.net/10754/627935
UR - https://compass.astm.org/DIGITAL_LIBRARY/JOURNALS/GEOTECH/PAGES/GTJ20170144.htm
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85053501125&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1520/gtj20170144
DO - 10.1520/gtj20170144
M3 - Article
SN - 0149-6115
VL - 41
SP - 20170144
JO - Geotechnical Testing Journal
JF - Geotechnical Testing Journal
IS - 4
ER -