METHODOLOGY FOR ESTIMATION OF THE STRENGTH OF ROCK DISCONTINUITIES BY USING SHEARING TESTS UNDER CONSTANT NORMAL STIFFNESS CONDITION

Abstract

In this paper, a shearing test was carried out under constant normal stiffness condition to understand the mechanical characteristics of discontinuities. By using the result of this test, we propose an efficient methodology to estimate the strength parameters c and φ, in case we assume the strength characteristics of discontinuities follow the Mohr-Coulomb's failure criterion. In addition, we discuss the effect of parameters such as roughness, initial normal stress and normal stiffness on the shearing behavior of discontinuities by comparing the results between the shearing test under constant normal stiffness condition and constant normal stress condition.