LABORATORY MODELLING OF ROCK JOINTS UNDER SHEAR AND CONSTANT NORMAL LOADING

G Budi, K.U.M. Rao, Debasis Deb

Abstract: In this paper, the shear behaviour of artificial rock joints under constant normal loading conditions is studied. Idealised joint surfaces were prepared using a developed molding method with special mortar and shear tests were performed on these samples under CNL conditions. Different levels of normal load and shear displacement were applied on the samples to study the shear behaviour of sawtooth shaped joints before and during considerable relative shear displacement. Nine types of saw-tooth joints have been selected for simplicity of modelling to quantify the effect of CNL conditions on joint shear behaviour. It was found that the shear strength of joints is related to rate of shear displacement, joint roughness and applied normal stress condition. Finally, based on the experimental investigations and observations made of sheared joint samples, four conceptual models of shear stress-shear displacements have been developed. These four models summarize the entire experimental results based on elastic, dilation and residual zone defined along the shear displacement axis. The findings of this study expand current state of knowledge of joint shear strength which may be of significance for further research and for understanding the shear behaviour of rock joints for a stability analysis of the designed structures in surface and underground rock engineering.

Keywords: shear strength, artificial rock joints, direct shear test, constant normal loading

DOI: https://doi.org/10.15623/ijret.2014.0304034