Q.

The following table shows data obtained from a single stage triaxial compression test on a
cylindrical rock sample, at a confining stress of 10 MPa, and at zero pore pressure.

Total axial load

(kN)
0.00
19.89
39.60
63.40
88.67
116.18
144.68
162.38
185.23
190.62
191.99
180.22
137.56
115.79
101.93
97.97
96.98

Sample height
(mm)
100.84
100.80
100.77
100.74
100.71
100.68
100.65
100.63
100.58
100.56
100.54
100.52
100.49
11046
100.43
100.40
100.37

Sample diameter
(mm)
50.20
50.20
50.20
50.20
50.21
50.21
50.22
50.22
50.24
50.25
50.25
50.26
50.26
50.27
50.28
50.28
50.28

Estimate values for the following:

(i.
(ii.
(iii.
(iv.
(v.

Yield strength
Peak strength
Residual strength
Tangent Youngs modulus, Etan at 50% peak axial stress
Tangent Poissons ratio at 50% peak axial stress

Ans:
From the test data recorded, we compute the axial stress, axial strain and diametral strain strainaxial strain curves and to visually estimate the various strength parameters. The stress and strain
values are given in the table below. Note that the axial strain values are positive, but the
diametral strain values are negative.

Axial stress
(MPa)
0
10.05
20.01
32.03
44.79
58.67
73.05
81.97
93.45
96.13
96.80
90.85
69.32
58.34
51.34
49.34
48.84

Axial strain

Diametral strain

0
0.397
0.694
0.992
1.289
1.587
1.884
2.083
2.578
2.777
2.975
3.173
3.471
3.768
4.066
4.363
4.661

0
-0.020
-0.060
-0.100
-0.159
-0.239
-0.319
-0.438
-0.717
-0.916
-1.056
-1.155
-1.295
-1.414
-1.534
-1.653
-1.6553

The curves associated with these results are shown below.

Peak Stress
Yield Point

Residual stress

The strength parameters are as follows:

(i).

yield strength = 83 , this is where the axial stress-axial strain curve becomes
visibly non-linear.

ii).

Peak strength = 97 this is the maximum axial stress the specimen sustained.

(iii).

Residual strength = 49 this is the final stress value given, which may have
reduced further had the test been continued.

(iv).

Tangent Youngs modulus 50% is computed from the axial

stress and axial strain values immediately above and below 50% of the peak axial stress.
The values is given by
58.7044.80
1.1710.893

13.9
0.278

= 50.00 GPa

In practice, we would compute this value from several ranges of values to estimate any
variation.
(v).

tangent Poissons ration at 50% peak stress is computed from the axial stress and
axial strain values immediately above and below 50% of the peak axial stress. The values
is given by
0.1590.100
1.1710.893

0.059
0.278

= 0.21