Behavior of Rocks and Soils Under High Pressure

Abstract

This report describes a program which was directed toward developing a capability suitable for generating engineering data on the high pressure mechanical properties of geologic materials. To provide the greatest possible contribution, this effort concentrated on three of the most important deficiencies in high pressure experimental technology: (1) development of a system capable of accepting relatively large samples so that more-nearly representative data may be obtained than with the smaller samples used previously, (2) development of a system suitable for monitoring the strains of highly deformable geologic materials, and (3) development of an encapsulating technique for soils. Each of these objectives was attained to a certain degree. Specimens up to three inches in diameter were subjected to fluid pressures of several kilobars. The deformation of soil was measured with a potentiometric slidewire device. An encapsulating technique was developed for soils which was suitable up to about two kilobars. Further refinements are necessary, but it appears that the more important of the limitations of past studies have been overcome.