Uniaxial compressive strength and failure process of granites tested on a stiff machine

Abstract

A stiff testing machine was used to study the failure process of granitic rocks, using the strain rate as the independent variable. The behaviour of the samples during uniaxial testing is dependent on texture, fissure índex, and weathering degree of samples. The morphology of load displacement curves and the fracture pattern was used to study the failure process. The strongest samples accumulate energy that they release abruptly when peak strength is reached. More weathered samples do not store too much energy as they start to develop axial fractures in early stages of compression.