0% found this document useful (0 votes)
37 views8 pagesSuggest Method For Determining Point Load Strength
PLI TEST
Uploaded by
ainul yaqinCopyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF or read online on Scribd
0% found this document useful (0 votes)
37 views8 pagesSuggest Method For Determining Point Load Strength
PLI TEST
Uploaded by
ainul yaqinCopyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF or read online on Scribd
/ 8
ISRM: POINT LOAD TEST 3
RTH 325-89
Suggested Method for Determining
Point Load Strength
SCOPE
(a) The Point Load Strength test is intended as an
index test for the strength classification of rock materi-
als. It may also be used to predict other strength
parameters with which it is correlated, for example
uniaxial tensile and compressive strength.'*
(b) The test measures the Point Load Strength Index
(lu) of rock specimens, and their Strength Anisotropy
Index (Iysq) which is the ratio of Point Load Strengths
in directions which give the greatest and least values.
(©) Rock specimens in the form of either core (the
diametral and axial tests), cut blocks (the block test), OF
irregular lumps (the irregular hump test) are broken by
application of concentrated load through a pair of
spherically truncated, conical platens.” Little or no speci-
‘men preparation is needed.
(4) The test can be performed with portable equip-
‘ment or using @ laboratory testing machine, and so may
bbe conducted either in the field or the laboratory.
APPARATUS,
2. The testing machine (Fig. 1) consists of a loading
system (for the portable version typically comprising a
loading frame, pump, ram and platens), a system for
measuring the load P required to break the specimen,
and a system for measuring the distance D between the
two platen contact points (but see S(e) below).
Loading system
34a) The loading system should have a platen-to-
platen clearance that allows testing of rock specimens in
the required size range. Typically this range is
15-100 mm so that an adjustable clearance is needed to
accommodate both small and large specimens
(b) The loading capacity should be sufficient to break
the largest and strongest specimens to be tested?
(6) The test machine should be designed and construc-
ted so that it does not permanently distort during
repeated applications of the maximum test load, and so
that the platens remain co-axial within + 0.2mm
throughout the testing. No spherical seat or other non-
rigid component is permitted in the loading system.
Loading system rigidity is essemtial to avoid problems of
slippage when specimens of irregular geometry are
tested.
(4) Spherically-truncated, conical platens of the stan-
éard geometry shown in Fig. 2 are to be used. The 60°
* Superscript aumbers refer to Notes at the end of the tx.
Fig. 1. Photograph of portable point load test machine
cone and 5 mm radius spherical platen tip should meet
tangentially The platens should be of hard material
such as tungsten carbide or hardened stel so that they
remain undamaged during testing
Load measuring system
4.(a) The load measuring system, for example a load
cell or a hydraulic pressure gauge or transducer con-
nected to the ram, should permit determination of the
failure load P required to break the specimen and should
conform to the requirements (b) through (d) below.
(b) Measurements of P should be to an accuracy
of + 5%P or better, irrespective of the size and strength
of specimen that is tested.’
(©) The system is to be resistant to hydraulic shock and
vibration so that the accuracy of readings is not ad-
versely affected by repeated testing,
(@) Failure is often sudden and a maximum load
indicating device is essential so that the failure load is
retained and can be recorded after each test.
15mm
60"
Fig. 2. Platen shape and tip radius RTH 325-89
54
Distance measuring system
5.(a) The distance measuring system, for example a
direct reading scale or displacement transducer, is to
permit measurement of the distance D between
specimen-platen contact points and should conform with
requirements (b) through (d) below.*
(b) Measurements of D should be to an accuracy of
£2%D or better irrespective of the size of specimen
tested,
(c) The system is to be resistant to hydraulic shock and.
vibration so that the accuracy of readings is not ad-
versely affected by repeated testing.
(4) The measuring system should allow a check of the
“zero displacement” value when the two platens are in
contact, and should preferably include a zero adjust-
‘ment.
(e) An instrument such as calipers or a steel rule is
required, to measure the width W of specimens for all
but the diametral test
PROCEDURE
Specimen selection and preparation
6.(a) A test sample is defined as a set of rock specimens
‘of similar strength for which a single Point Load
Strength value is to be determined
(b) The test sample of rock core or fragments is to
contain sufficient specimens conforming with the size
to)
L>osp |
Li
+7
9
@
osw<0 perpenicutar, 7
PEroLiel to planes of weakness feoea|tnt
Fig. & Typ rests fom,
particularly suitable when the rock is anisotropic and the
direction of weakness planes must be noted.
3. Loads of up to SOKN are commonly required for
the larger hard rock specimens. The maximum specimen
size that can be tested by a given machine is determined
by the machine's load capacity, and the smallest by the
‘machine's load and distance measuring sensitivity. Tests
‘on specimens smaller than D = 25 mm require particular
precautions to ensure that the measuring sensitivity is
sufficient. The range of required test loads should be
estimated before testing, from approximate assumed
strength values, to ensure that the load capacity and
sensitivity of the equipment are adequate. ft may be
necessary to change the load measuring gauge or load
cell, oF to test smaller or larger specimens to conform
with the capacity of available equipment or with the
accuracy specifications for this test.
4. The conical platen design is intended to give
standardized penetration of softer specimens. When
testing is confined to hard rocks and small (less than
2mm) penetrations the conical design is unimportant
Provided that the tip radius remains at the standard.
mm. For such testing the platen can be manufactured
by embedding a hard steel or tungsten carbide ball in a RTH 325-89
ISRM: POINT LUAD TEST 9
1 paoMPO!
Fig. 9. Example of correlation between point load and uniaxial
‘compresivesregih rel
softer metal base of any geometry that will ensure that
‘only the platen tip is in contact with the rock.
5. Ifa quick-retracting ram is used to reduce the delay
between tests, either the ram return spring force and ram,
friction should together be less than about 5% of the
smallest load to be measured during testing, of an
independent load cell rather than an oil pressure gauge
should be used for load determination. These forces can.
bbe significant when testing weaker and smaller speci-
6. If significant platen penetration occurs, the dimen-
sion D to be used in calculating point load strength
should be the value D’ measured atthe instant of failure,
which will be smaller than the inital value suggested in.
paragraphs 8(d) 9(¢) and 10(d). The error in assuming,
D to be its initial value is negligible when the specimen
is large or strong. The failure value may always be used
‘a an alternative to the intial value and is preferred if
the equipment allows it to be measured (For example by
clectrical maximum-indicating load and displacement
‘measurement), When testing specimens that are smaller
than 25 mm, such as rock aggregate particles, equipment
‘with electrical readout is usually necessary to obtain the
required measuring accuracy, and should be designed to
record D’ at failure. Measurements of W or D made
perpendicular to the line joining the platens are not
affected and are retained at their original values. The
value of D, for strength calculation can then be found.
from:
Di=D xD’ for cores
So) tae aps
7, Because this testis intended primarily as a simple
and practical one for field classification of rock materi-
als, the requirements relating to sample size, shape,
‘numbers of tests etc, can when necessary be relaxed 10
‘overcome practical limitations. Such modifications 10
procedure should however be clearly stated in the report.
It is often better to obtain strength values of limited
reliability than none at all. For example, rock is often
too broken or slabby to provide specimens of the ideal
sizes and shapes, or may be available in limited quan-
tities such as when the test is used to log the strength of
Gril core. In core logging applications, the concept of a
“sample” has litle meaning and tests are often conduc-
ted at an arbitrary depth interval. say one test every 1 m
‘or 3m depending on the apparent variability or uni-
formity of strength in the core and on the total length
of core to be strength-logged.
8, As for all strength tests on rocks. point load
strength varies with the water content of the specimens.
‘The variations are particularly pronounced for water
saturations below 25%,, Oven dried specimens, for exam-
ple, are usually very much stronger than moist ones. At
water saturations above $0% the strength is less
influenced by small changes in water content, so that
tests in this water content range are recommended unless
tests on dry rock are specifically required.
‘All specimens in a sample should be tested ata similar
and well-defined water content, and one that is appropri-
ate to the project for which the test data are required.
Field testing of chisel-cut samples, not affected by dril-
ling fluids, ofers a method for testing at the in situ water
content. If possible, numerical values should be given for
both water content and degree of saturation at the time
of testing. The [SRM Suggested Method for Water
Content Determination should be employed. Whether or
not water content measurements can be made, the
sample storage conditions and delay between sampling
and testing should be reported.
9, Some researchers argue in favour of measuring W
as the minimum dimension of the failure surface after
testing rather then of the specimen before failure (the
German standard for this testis an example). Point load
strengths computed using the two alternative W
definitions may differ slightly. The minimum specimen