Geomechanics Research Series – serie

Fracture and flow of rocks under stress and their geophysical and seismological implications raise fundamental questions in rock mechanics, particularly in the areas of tectonophysics and seismology. This text exclusively addresses the deformation and fracture of rock specimens under general triaxial compression, in which all three principal stresses are different; which significantly affects the ultimate strength of rocks. It moreover deals with deformation and failure following intermediate principal stress in graphic and numerical form. The effect of the intrinsic features of rock masses of inhomogeneous or anisotropic structure are taken into account, as are acoustic emission phenomena in rocks under various stress states. Friction in rocks, measured by a newly-designed shear-testing machine, is discussed in relation to earthquake phenomena.

Fracture and flow of rocks under stress and their geophysical and seismological implications raise fundamental questions in rock mechanics, particularly in the areas of tectonophysics and seismology. This text exclusively addresses the deformation and fracture of rock specimens under general triaxial compression, in which all three principal stresses are different; which significantly affects the ultimate strength of rocks. It moreover deals with deformation and failure following intermediate principal stress in graphic and numerical form. The effect of the intrinsic features of rock masses of inhomogeneous or anisotropic structure are taken into account, as are acoustic emission phenomena in rocks under various stress states. Friction in rocks, measured by a newly-designed shear-testing machine, is discussed in relation to earthquake phenomena.

This is the first book ever published on the problems of true triaxial testing of rocks addressing all aspects of true triaxial testing of rocks, including: (i) true triaxial testing techniques and procedures; (ii) test results: strength, deformability, failure mode, permeability, acoustic emission, and elastic wave velocity; (iii) constitutive laws and failure criteria; and (iv) applications to geoengineering and geosciences.Recent developments in the field of true triaxial testing of rocks are presented, as well as a thorough review of the most important achievements in the whole history of true triaxial testing of rocks.Almost all researchers from around the world engaged in the true triaxial testing of rocks over the last three decades have contributed to this work. The authors originate from different branches of geoengineering and geosciences, including civil engineering, engineering geology, geotechnical engineering, mining engineering, petroleum engineering, seismology, and tectonophysics.

This is the first book ever published on the problems of true triaxial testing of rocks addressing all aspects of true triaxial testing of rocks, including: (i) true triaxial testing techniques and procedures; (ii) test results: strength, deformability, failure mode, permeability, acoustic emission, and elastic wave velocity; (iii) constitutive laws and failure criteria; and (iv) applications to geoengineering and geosciences.Recent developments in the field of true triaxial testing of rocks are presented, as well as a thorough review of the most important achievements in the whole history of true triaxial testing of rocks.Almost all researchers from around the world engaged in the true triaxial testing of rocks over the last three decades have contributed to this work. The authors originate from different branches of geoengineering and geosciences, including civil engineering, engineering geology, geotechnical engineering, mining engineering, petroleum engineering, seismology, and tectonophysics.

Important developments in the progress of the theory of rock mechanics during recent years are based on fractals and damage mechanics. The concept of fractals has proved to be a useful way of describing the statistics of naturally occurring geometrics. Natural objects, from mountains and coastlines to clouds and forests, are found to have boundaries best described as fractals. Fluid flow through jointed rock masses and clusterings of earthquakes are found to follow fractal patterns in time and space. Fracturing in rocks at all scales, from the microscale (microcracks) to the continental scale (megafaults), can lead to fractal structures. The process of diagenesis and pore geometry of sedimentary rock can be quantitatively described by fractals, etc.The book is mainly concerned with these developments, as related to fractal descriptions of fragmentations, damage and fracture of rocks, rock burst, joint roughness, rock porosity and permeability, rock grain growth, rock and soil particles, shear slips, fluid flow through jointed rocks, faults, earthquake clustering, and so on. The prime concerns of the book are to give a simple account of the basic concepts, methods of fractal geometry, and their applications to rock mechanics, geology, and seismology, and also to discuss damage mechanics of rocks and its application to mining engineering.The book can be used as a textbook for graduate students, by university teachers to prepare courses and seminars, and by active scientists who want to become familiar with a fascinating new field.