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Estimation of rock mechanical properties by macro indentation test with a conical indenter

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Abstract

The mechanical properties of rock, especially the uniaxial compressive strength (UCS), the elastic modulus (E), and the Brazilian tensile strength (BTS) are critically important for rock engineering. Since standard laboratory tests have some limitations, various indirect methods have been developed for estimating these mechanical properties, e.g., the indentation test. In the indentation test, an indenter is forced into the rock to obtain the load-displacement curve. Most estimation models of rock mechanical properties by indentation test are appropriate for fine-grained rock or soft rock, and there is little estimation model for coarse-grained rock and hard rock. Therefore, it is important to establish an estimation model appropriate for rock with large grain sizes and high strength. Since the specimen size may affect the test result, specimens with different sizes were tested first to study the specimen size effect. The result showed that both the specimen diameter and height affect the specimen failure pattern, the load-displacement curve, and the indentation indices. The proper specimen size is suggested using in the indentation test with a 7-mm diameter indenter. Then, 8 types of rock were prepared for indentation tests, uniaxial compression tests, and Brazilian tests. The UCS, BTS, and E all increase with indentation indices, e.g., the energy per unit (W) and the indentation modulus of the first peak (IM1). There are linear correlations between the UCS, E, BTS, and indentation indices (W and IM1) with high determination coefficients.

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Abbreviations

BTS :

Brazilian tensile strength

E :

Elastic modulus

U CS :

Uniaxial compressive strength

V p :

Velocity of P-wave

ρ :

Natural density

υ :

Poisson’s ratio

C TF :

Critical transition force

E * :

The elastic parameter in the indentation test

F :

Applied load in the indentation test

F 1 :

First peak force

IM 1 :

Indentation modulus of the first peak

IM n :

Average indentation modulus

IHI :

Indentation hardness index

P :

Indenter displacement in the indentation test

R p :

Indentation strength

W :

Energy per unit depth

S :

The cross-section area of the indenter into the rock when the load is F1

P 0 :

Calculated indentation depth (P0 ≤ 3 mm)

d :

Specimen diameter (perpendicular to the load axial)

h :

Specimen height (parallel to the load axial)

C C :

Constraint condition of specimen in the indentation test

F computed :

F-Value computed in the joint hypotheses test

R SD :

Relative standard deviation

R 2 :

Determination coefficient

r :

Pearson correlation coefficient

δ :

Relative error

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Acknowledgements

The support provided by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 51978541, 41941018, 51839009) is gratefully acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Key Laboratory of Safety for Geotechnical and Structural Engineering of Hubei Province, School of Civil Engineering, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China

    Xin-Mei Yang, Xiao-Ping Zhang, Wei-Qiang Xie, Quan-Sheng Liu & Xiao-Wei Yang

  2. State Key Laboratory of Water Resources and Hydropower Engineering Science, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China

    Xin-Mei Yang, Xiao-Ping Zhang, Wei-Qiang Xie, Quan-Sheng Liu & Xiao-Wei Yang

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Correspondence to Xiao-Ping Zhang.

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Yang, XM., Zhang, XP., Xie, WQ. et al. Estimation of rock mechanical properties by macro indentation test with a conical indenter. Bull Eng Geol Environ 82, 234 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-023-03214-3

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