Numerical Assessment of Factors Influencing the Tensile Strength of Rocks via Pull-Off Test
Publication: International Journal of Geomechanics
Volume 20, Issue 7
Abstract
The pull-off test (POT) is a tensile strength testing method that is widely used in concrete/mortar and was recently applied to rock mechanics. The POT can be easily performed in both the field and the laboratory. This study uses the extended finite-element method to analyze the POT fracture mechanism under different test conditions and to assess the factors influencing the tensile strength of homogeneous rock. The numerical results were validated with experimental data, and a good agreement was obtained. An ideal test geometry was proposed (the depth and the width of the partial core were 2.5 and 0.4 cm, respectively). The POT can overestimate or underestimate the tensile strength of the rock, depending on the cohesive fracture energy, and a correction equation was proposed for visually homogeneous rocks and concrete.
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Acknowledgments
This study was financed by the following entities: the São Paulo Research Support Foundation (FAPESP) corresponding to process 2017/03273-9, the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), and the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel—Brazil (CAPES)—Finance Code 001.
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Published In
International Journal of Geomechanics
Volume 20 • Issue 7 • July 2020
Copyright
© 2020 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: May 6, 2019
Accepted: Dec 19, 2019
Published online: Apr 17, 2020
Published in print: Jul 1, 2020
Discussion open until: Sep 17, 2020
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