Abstract
An experimental study of the size effects of particle compressive strength of brittle solids under slow rate of compression was carried out by using spheres made of two kinds of glassy materials and five kinds of natural minerals. The particle diameters of specimens ranged from about 10cm to 0.0030cm.
Followings are conclusions of the present experiment. Particle compressive strength of the glassy materials was linearly increased with the decrease of their volumes when the data were plotted on a logarithmic coordinate. Each relationship was simply expressed by the Weibull's equation. On the other hand, particle compressive strength of the minerals was increased along with a warped line with the decrease of their volumes on a logarithmic coordinate. The relationship was expressed by respective refractive lines having different gradients. This warpage may be due to the status of pre-existent cracks in the specimen. Throughout all the processes of experiment, the strength of size of 0.0050cm is about 17 to 50 times larger than that of 2.0cm.
