Experimental investigation of the size effect on the mechanical properties on two natural building stones

Summarization: This paper focuses on the experimental investigation of the mechanical properties of two natural building stones: Porolithos and Alfas. Two series of uniaxial compression tests and indirect tensile tests (Brazilian tests) were performed in order to determine the uniaxial compressive strength and the indirect tensile strength respectively. Different sets of cylindrical specimens and circular discs were prepared by varying their geometry in order to examine the size effect on the respective strength values. Also, the size effect was investigated with respect to the calculated intact rock modulus and Poisson’s ratio of these materials. All specimens were prepared by following the ISRM suggested methods and the load was applied using a stiff 1600 kN MTS hydraulic testing machine and a 500 kN load cell. Strain was measured using biaxial 0/90 stacked rosettes which were appropriately attached on each specimenΠαρουσιάστηκε στο: 8th GRACM International Congress on Computational Mechanic