Abstract
We explored the effects of water saturation and strain rate on the tensile strength of rock. Radial compression tests and tests exploiting Hopkinson's effect were performed for various strain rates on three different types of rock, samples of which were either saturated with water or dry. There was an increase in the tensile strength of rock not only in the dry state, but also with an increase in the strain rate in the saturated state. It was also especially recognizable that the dynamic tensile strength of rock in the dry state was proportional to approximately a one-third multiple of the strain rate no matter what the type of rock. In addition, water saturation decreased the tensile strength in the dry state of Kimachi sandstone and Tage tuff, both with high porosity, but no significant difference could be recognized between the dry and the saturated states of Inada granite, which has a low porosity of 0.49%.
