WI/123

WORK INSTRUCTION
Page No. : 1 of 3

Issue No. : 4
DETERMINATION OF THE UNIAXIAL
COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH OF INTACT ROCK Issue Date : 07/09/15
CORE SPECIMENS Revision No. : 0

1.0 METHOD OF TESTING

1.1 ASTM D 7012 – 14e1: Methods C

2.0 SCOPE

2.1 Determination of uniaxial compressive strength of intact rock core specimens using
Method C.

3.0 EQUIPMENT

3.1 Loading Device – sufficient to apply load at a rate conforming to the

requirement.

3.2 Platens – two steel platens to transmit the axial load to the ends of the specimen.

3.2.1 Platen diameter - shall be at least as large as the specimen diameter, but shall
not exceed twice of the specimen diameter.

3.2.2 Platen thickness - shall be at least one-half the specimen diameter.

3.2.3 Seating - one of the platens should be spherically seated and the other a plain
rigid platen. The spherical seat shall properly lubricated to allow free
movement.

3.2.4 Rigid Seating - If a spherical seat is not used the bearing faces of the
platens shall be parallel to 0.0005 mm/mm of platen diameter.

4.0 PREPARATION OF SAMPLE

4.1 The specimens for each sample shall be selected from cores representing a valid
average of the type of rock under consideration.

4.2 The specified minimum specimen diameter of approximately 47 mm.

4.3 Desirable specimen length to diameter ratios are between 2.0:1 and 2.5:1. Specimen
length to diameter ratios of less than 2.0:1 is unacceptable.

4.4 Test specimens shall be prepared in accordance with Practice D4543 by determine
the straightness on the cylindrical flatness and perpendicularity of end surface to the
specimen axis.
 WI/123
WORK INSTRUCTION
Page No. : 2 of 3

Issue No. : 4
DETERMINATION OF THE UNIAXIAL
COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH OF INTACT ROCK Issue Date : 07/09/15
CORE SPECIMENS Revision No. : 0

4.5 The straightness of the cylindrical specimen can be determined by either using
Procedure A or Procedure B, as follows:

4.5.1 Procedure A

4.5.1.1 Roll the cylindrical specimen on a smooth, flat surface and measure
the height of the maximum gap between the specimen and the flat
surface with a feeler gage

4.5.1.2 The flat test surface on which the specimen is rolled shall not depart
from a plane by more than 0.0005 in. (13µm)

5.0 TESTING INSTRUCTION

5.1 Make sure the spherical seat able to rotate freely in its socket before each test.

5.2 Place the lower platen on the base or actuator rod of the loading device. Wipe clean
the test specimen and bearing faces of the upper and lower platens, and place the
test specimen on the lower platen. Place the upper platen on the specimen and align
properly.

5.3 The axial load shall be applied continuously and without shock until the load becomes
constant as to produce either stress rate between 0.5 MPa/s and 1.0 MPa/s.

5.4 The stress rate or strain rate shall not be permitted at any given time to deviate by
more than 10 % from that selected and will produce failure in a test time between 2
and 15 min. Strain is not typically measured: therefore a stress-strain curve is not
produced.

5.5 Record the maximum load sustained by the specimen in (kN) to the nearest 2 decimal
places.

6.0 TEST REPORT

6.1 The Uniaxial Compressive strength σu for test specimen shall be calculated as
follows:

σu = P
A

Where:
σu uniaxial compressive strength (MPa);
P maximum load / failure load (N);
A cross sectional area (mm2).
 The uniaxial compressive strength shall be expressed to the nearest 1 MPa

WI/123
WORK INSTRUCTION
Page No. : 3 of 3
DETERMINATION OF THE UNIAXIAL Issue No. : 4
COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH OF INTACT ROCK
Issue Date : 07/09/15
CORE SPECIMENS
Revision No. : 0

7.0 UNCERTAINTY OF MEASUREMENT

7.1 The testing data shall be recorded into Test Raw Data form – RD123.

7.2 A test report shall be issued based on test results recorded in – TR123.

7.3 The uncertainty of measurement is adopted from the calibration certificate of this test
and measuring equipment.

8.0 REFERENCES

8.1 ASTM D 7012– 14e1: Standard Test Method for Uniaxial Compressive Strength of
Intact Rock Core Specimens

8.2 ASTM D 4543-01: Standard Practices for Preparing Rock Core Specimens and
Determining Dimensional and Shape Tolerances