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Laboratory characterization of the effects of macroporosity size and shape on elastic modulus

  • Cindy A. Wright
  • , Bethany Erfourth
  • , Nick Hudyma
  • , Mary Maclaughlin
  • University of Montana

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

The presence of macroporosity, or voids that are visible to the unaided eye, has a strong influence on strength and modulus values as determined through laboratory testing of rock specimens. This study will explore how variations in cavity size and shape impacts engineering properties, specifically elastic modulus, of such specimens. Sixty-nine plaster of Paris specimens containing several different sizes of spherical, cubic, and disk shaped cavities made from Styrofoam® material were tested under unconfined compression conditions. In a previous study, it was found that analog models of macroporous rock, made of plaster of Paris and Styrofoam® inclusions, could be used as representations of rock [1]. The expectation is that for a given porosity, larger and less rounded voids will have a more detrimental effect on the modulus. Although these trends are visible in the data, quantitative analysis of the results indicates that the differences between samples with voids of different shapes and sizes are not statistically significant.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publication40th Symposium on Engineering Geology and Geotechnical Engineering 2006
Pages209-221
Number of pages13
StatePublished - 2006
Event40th Symposium on Engineering Geology and Geotechnical Engineering 2006 - Logan, UT, United States
Duration: 24 May 200626 May 2006

Publication series

Name40th Symposium on Engineering Geology and Geotechnical Engineering 2006

Conference

Conference40th Symposium on Engineering Geology and Geotechnical Engineering 2006
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityLogan, UT
Period24/05/0626/05/06

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