Rock Mechanics Laboratory Capabilities
Strength Tests
- Triaxial shear (10,000 psi confining pressure)
- Direct shear (20,000 lb normal, 40,000 lb shear)
- Unconfined compression (250,000 lb axial load)
- Direct tensile
- Indirect tensile
Stress-Strain Tests
- Young's Modulus (confined, unconfined, static, dynamic)
- Poisson's Ratio (confined, unconfined, static, dynamic)
- Compressibility (linear and volumetric)
- Differential strain Analysis
- Biaxial Deformation Modulus (for overcoring tests)
Creep Tests
- Unconfined (constant stress or constant strain)
- Confined (constant stress or constant strain)
- Heated (confined or unconfined to 300 deg. C)
Thermal Tests
- Thermal expansion
- Thermal conductivity
- Thermal diffusivity
- Specific heat
Other Tests
- Ultrasonic compressional and shear wave velocity
- Thin section and petrographic analysis
- Scanning electron microscopy
- Specific gravity
- Bulk and grain density
- Permeability
- Porosity
- Moisture content
- Particle size analysis