Non triaxial behaviors of rock masses assuming transversely isotropic elasticity in a triaxial compression test

Abstract

Rock masses often show anisotropic mechanical behavior due to discontinuity or sequence of mineral particle. In a triaxial test, the deformations of these types of rock masses show non triaxial behavior because a condition of axial symmetry is not satisfied. In this study, in order to clarify the deformation properties of transversely isotropic body which is applied for sedimentary rocks by some researchers, two cases of analysis of elements for a triaxial test is conducted. The one is the analysis for the condition which the directions of principal stresses are coaxial with the loading directions and the other analysis is for the condition which the directions of principal strains are coaxial with the loading directions. The results demonstrated two main conclusions: in the case of the former type of analysis, the directions of principal strain are inclined from loading direction; on the other hand, in the case of the latter type of analysis, the directions of principal stress are inclined from loading direction.