Peter J. Millar^ and David R.

Murray^

Triaxial Testing of Weak Rocks Including the

Use of Triaxial Extension Tests

REFERENCE: Millar, P. J. and Murray, D. R., "Triaxial Testing of Weak Rocks Indudii^
tiie Use of Triaxial Extension Tests," Advanced Triaxial Testing of Soil and Rock, ASTM STP
977, Robert T. Donaghe, Ronald C. Chaney, and Marshall L. Silver, Eds., American Society
for Testing and Materials, Philadelphia, 1988, pp. 376-386.
ABSTRACT: The strength parameters of New Zealand Tertiary weak rocks are found to be
intennediate between soil and rock. The nonUnear strength envelopes of these materials for
the range of stresses encountered in engineering structures mean that the strength parameters
cannot be adequately defined using standard triaxial compression tests.
The strength properties can be established at low stress levels by the triaxial extension test
which allows tensile stresses to be developed in the neck of truncated specimens. At high
stress levels a high stress triaxial cell is used with confining pressures up to 15 MPa.
KEY WORDS: triaxial compression, triaxial extension, high stress, nonUnear envelopes, weak
rock

Triaxial test methods have been developed to define the nonlinear strength characteristics
of the Tertiary siltstones and sandstones found extensively in the central North Island of
New Zealand. These include triaxial extension tests, which allow a tensile axial stress com-
ponent in truncated specimens, and high stress triaxial compression tests with confining
pressures of up to 15 MPa.
During formation the weak rocks have been subjected to overburden stresses of up to 10
MPa, but stress relief during erosion (unloading) has resulted in residual preconsolidation
pressures, as a result of cementing and interparticle "locking," generally in the range of 3
to 5 MPa.
Within the low stress ranges, the material strength characteristics are typical of rocks,
exhibiting curved failure envelopes with moderate tensile strength, while at higher stress
levels they behave as highly overconsoHdated soils. The transition of this rock-soil behavior
occurs at stress levels close to the residual preconsolidation pressure of the material.
To determine the strength properties of these weak rocks at low stress levels, a triaxial
extension test method was developed. Here an isotropically consolidated, truncated speci-
men is tested to failure at low values of mean principal stress. When the axial load on the
top of the sample is reduced, the confining stress acting on the shoulders induces a tensile
axial stress component in the neck.
The conventional triaxial compression test is hmited in that no tensile stresses can be
developed and failure of the weak rock specimens occurs at high normal stress levels. Also
the failure envelope for these materials may exhibit significant curvature at low stress levels,
and extrapolation to the shear stress axis is not possible using triaxial compression test results
alone.

' Geomechanics engineer and senior technical officer, respectively. Ministry of Works and Devel-
opment, P.O. Box 30-845, Wellington, New Zealand.

376

Copyright' 1988 b y A S T M International www.astm.org

 MILLAR AND MURRAY ON TRIAXIAL TESTING OF WEAK ROCKS 377

Further, at higher stress levels there is a transition in the failure envelope as the inter-
particle "locking" is broken down and the material fails in ultimate compression.

Test Methods
Triaxial Extension Test
As described by Bishop and Garga [7], the triaxial extension test method involve$ the
unloading of the axial load applied to the top of an isotropically consolidated truncated
specimen (see Fig. 1).
During axial unloading the cell pressure ((Jc') acting on the shoulders of the specimen

^0 = *ram " "c

o = effective conf, press.

neck c 5-^
TT d V 4
(compression positive)
Limiting stress in neck of the
specimen ^ (p^ , j^)

Mohr's C i r c l e at
max. shear stress

Stress Path

neck
FIG. 1Triaxial extension test, (a) Consolidation stage, isotropic consolidation, (b) Exten-
sion test, (c) Stress path during drained triaxial extension test.
378 ADVANCED TRIAXIAL TESTING OF SOIL AND ROCK

initially reduces the compressive stresses and then induces a tensile stress in the neck. The
axial stress (aj) in the neck at any stage of the test is given by the equation
4(Pi - Po)
^(nect 0 a/ +
-nd^
where
Po = initial ram load,
Pi = ram load at any stage (i) of the test, and
d = diameter of the reduced section (neck).

I - +

-fI-

H 1fI-

4 1 h

D = 0.5d

R = 3.5D

Length of chord - 2D
(see Figure 3)

+H- H-
I indicates compressive stresses

I indicates tensile stresses

FIG. 2Schematic diagram of stress distribution in truncated specimen at the limiting stress
point during an extension test.
 MILLAR AND MURRAY ON TRIAXIAL TESTING OF WEAK ROCKS 379

The limiting tensile stress that can be applied is the stress at which the top platen separates
from the specimen

, (Z)^ - d^)
"'(neck limit) C^ X
d^

where D = major diameter of specimen.

In a drained extension test the stress path is a negative 45 line (see Fig. IC). If a specimen
does not fail before achieving the limiting stress, the confining pressure may be increased
with a stress path gradient given by

)2
stress path gradient = +
(2d^ - D^)

(If d^ = 0.5D^, that is, the area of neck = area of shoulder, then gradient is vertical; and
if d^ < 0.5D^ then gradient is negative.)
A combination of unloading and variation in the cell pressure on a truncated specimen
provides the conditions in which any required stress path testing may be modeled.

Specimen ModelsA finite element model analysis by the authors determined that a spiral
transition over a length greater than twice the difference in the diameter, 2(D - d), is the
optimum shape for the shoulders of the specimen to minimize stress concentrations and
provide the most uniform tensile stress distribution through the neck.
However, for practical purposes an arc with a chord length of 2D is a close approximation
and simplifies preparation of the specimen (see Figs. 2 and 3).

Preparation of Extension SpecimensFor weak rocks, specimens are prepared by axial

mounting in a jig and trimming with a motorized wire wheel (Fig. 3).
It has been found that the preparation of the truncated specimens using a motorized wire

6 D to R r e l a t i o n s h i p :

Q \ i
i R = 5D^ - 2Dd + d^
4(D - d)

when D^ = 2d^
R = 3.5D
D
o
o
) \

FIG. 3Schematic diagram showing specimen preparation with wire wheel.

380 ADVANCED TRIAXIAL TESTING OF SOIL AND ROCK

wheel facilitates rapid preparation and avoids the problems of heating and drying of the
specimen that occur when using a soil lathe.
The squaring and trimming of the ends are usually carried out before the wasting of the
center section.

Test Equipment--The specimen is set up in a standard triaxial cell that has the following
modifications:

1. The top platen is fixed to the loading ram with a spherical joint within the cell to allow
for any misahgnment of the ends which may induce premature failure as a result of eccentric
loading on the shoulder of the specimen.
2. The loading equipment used to date has been primarily a stress controlled system with
a ramp function load generator, but other options including strain control are available.
The former allows for a clear definition of the failure point which is accompanied by a rapid
increase in the axial displacement. In a strain controlled system, failure should be defined
by a rapid unloading-, but this has not been as clearly defined in tests carried out to date.

Usually the test is carried out under drained conditions to avoid problems of nonuniform
pore pressure distribution. Because tensile failure in weak rocks occurs at low values of
strain, volume changes within the system are small, and volume change corrections to the
strength parameter calculations are generally insignificant. Also the stress path is subnormal
to the failure envelope, minimizing creep.

High Stress Triaxial Compression Test

The requirement to investigate the strength parameters of weak rocks at higher confining
pressure necessitates the use of a high stress triaxial cell. A diagram of the equipment
developed for this purpose is shown in Fig. 4. This system can develop confining pressures
up to 15 MPa.
The high pressure system is operated using a dry nitrogen gas bottle and an accumulator
adapted to provide an air-water interface. The accumulator includes a self-closing valve,
which, in the event of leakage in the high pressure system, Umits the volume change to the
quantity of water in the accumulator. The back pressure system is standard but includes a
preset pressure relief valve in case of leakage from the high pressure system past the mem-
brane.

HIGH (CELL) PRESSURE 1 f^^^^" T LOW ( BACK) PRESSURE SYSTEM

SYSTEM

AIR SUPPLY

FIG. 4Layout of the high stress triaxial test system.

 MILLAR AND MURRAY ON TRIAXIAL TESTING OF WEAK ROCKS 381

FAILURE ENVELOPE DESCRIPTION : a^c 3500 k P a . "C = [<r |1.000-<r f j l

3500 < o'n< 50001 transition I : T : as 1500 kPn

<r5000 k P o i X = (Tn tan 18.7"

M-C FAILURE ENVELOPE

Kf UNE

[VALUES ARE EFFECTIVE CONFINING

PRESSURES (Oi' )3

0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 8000 9000 10000 IIOOO 12000
MEAN PRINCIPAL STRESS Pf (kPa)

FIG. 5Strength parameters and failure envelope Sample 2850.

Strength Properties of Weak Rocks

The strength properties of a range of typical central North Island weak rocks are shown
in Figs. 5,6, and 7. A summary of these test results and the physical properties and measured
residual preconsoUdation pressures are given in Tables 1 and 2.
The nonlinear failure envelopes suggest that the strength characteristics are complex and
not well defined by standard triaxial compression testing over the usual range of confining
pressures 20 to 1000 kPa.

M-C FAILURE
ENVELOPE.

CVALUES ARE EFFECTIVE CONFINING

PRESSURES (O",')]

jii 4500

FAILURE ENVELOPE DESCRIPTION: OJ < 10OO kPa : T 940* (r ton 52.7'

1000 < ai,< 6000 tronsition approximated to

ttralghfline>'C 1750t<r ton IT
oji 6000 kPa : X Of, Ion to"

J_
1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 8000 9000 10000
MEAN PRINCIPAL STRESS Pf ( kPo )
FIG. 6Strength parameters and failure envelope Sample 2884.
382 ADVANCED TRIAXIAL TESTING OF SOIL AND ROCK

'60 FAILURE ENVELOPE DESCRIPTION: <rn<2900 kPo t = 7 4 0 + o;, ton 56-2

(r=-2900 kPo - r 3 4 7 5 + 0 ^ ton 29 0

2000 4000 6000 8000 10000 12000 14000 16000 18000 20000
MEAN PRINCIPAL STRESS Pf(l<Pa)

FIG. 7Strength parameters and failure envelope Sample 85-220-221.

In drained triaxial compression tests, the stress path has a positive 45 gradient and
intercepts the Kf line at high stress levels. A large extrapolation of the results is required
to define the cohesive strength such that the confidence limits are poor.
The volumetric strain in drained tests (Fig. 86) and the pore pressure response in undrained
tests are greatly affected by the historic stress relief (effects of unloading as a result of
erosion, wetting and drying, sweUing and shrinkage, and sampling). Although the materials
are dilatant at higher shear strains, there is typically an initial compressive response as the
materials reconsolidate and microfractures close at low strains. In an undrained test the
positive pore pressure developed at low strain reduces the mean principal stress such that
the material, which has low tensile strengths, may effectively fail in unieixial compression
before the development of any significant dilatant response. Hence a series of undrained
triaxial compression tests at low confining pressures may produce results giving a Kf line
close to 45 (<|) = 90). This reflects the influence of the initial reconsolidation of the specimens
at increasing confining pressures, that is, a series of effective uniaxial compression tests with
Mohr's circles coincident at the origin.
At high confining pressures where the mean principal stress levels developed during tests
greatly exceed the preconsolidation pressure of the materials, the strength is purely frictional
and specimens fail in ultimate compression (independent of stress history).
The transition between the strength characteristics at stress levels below the residual
preconsolidation pressure and failure in ultimate compression is particularly marked in the
siltstones, where ultimate friction angles of less than 30 mean that a reduction in strength
may be recorded as the influence of interparticle "locking" is lost and crushing occurs (see
Fig. 5). Similar behavior has been observed in other triaxial series on siltstones [2,3]. These
results are also consistent with many other triaxial test results on weak rocks where results
of specimens tested at confining pressures of 1000 to 2000 kPa have given low shear strengths
relative to the extrapolated failure envelopes of tests at lower confining pressures [4,5].
Lee and Seed [6] report transitions in the shear strength of highly overconsolidated soils
as a result of the changing influence of dilation, crushing, and rearrangement of grains. The
MILLAR AND MURRAY ON TRIAXIAL TESTING OF WEAK ROCKS 383

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384 ADVANCED TRIAXIAL TESTING OF SOIL AND ROCK

TABLE 2Triaxial test results of central North Island weak rocks.

Values at Peak Shear Stress

Effective Vol.
Cell Pressure, i((Ti' - a,'). i(<Ti' + Oi), Strain, Strain,
Sample kPa kPa kPa % %
CL2884 25 3 320 3 345 1.9 1.0
Silt- 50 2 890 2 940 2.0 0.93
claystone 200 3 250 3 450 2.3 1.13
2100 4 370 6 470 2.6 0.19
3225 5 810 9 035 3.0 1.07
1200 Ext 900 300 -0.52
1800 Ext 1050 750 -0.72
CL2850 25 470 495 1.9 6.96
Sandy 50 1940 1990 1.3 0.66
siltstone 200 2 095 2 295 1.9 1.09
1000 1895 2 895 2.7 1.80
2100 1590 3 690 2.6 0.64
4000 1770 4 770 3.4
8000 3 840 11840 8.1
900 Ext 475 425
CL85-220 50 2 625 2 675 6.7 -6.49
Sandstone 250 3 760 4 010 0.8 -0-
-.88
400 5 100 5 500 0.7 -0.25
1000 6 840 7 840 1.1 -0.59
6500 12 015 18 515 2.4
500 Ext 395 105
1500 Ext 950 550

authors are not aware of other published triaxial compression test results showing a reduction
in shear strength with increasing mean principal stress, but Latjai [7] reports shear box tests
on cast plaster specimens having irregular planes of weakness where similar mechanisms of
failure and reductions in strength are shown.
The triaxial test results shown in Figs. 5 and 6 also indicate that the failure envelope of
weak rocks at low stress levels cannot be defined with adequate confidence using extrap-
olation of standard triaxial compression tests. The triaxial extension test on truncated spec-
imens provides a means of more accurately defining the cohesive strength intercept. In Fig.
6, extrapolation of the standard triaxial compression test results on the clay-siltstone would
indicate a straight line best-fit envelope with a cohesive strength of 1.9 MPa and angle of
frictional resistance of 27. The extension test results, however, show this to be a significant
overestimate with the cohesive strength being defined as 1.0 MPa.

Conclusion
The Tertiary weak rocks in New Zealand exhibit strength properties that are intermediate
between soils and rocks. The strength properties at low stress levels are typical of rocks
with a significant tensile strength component alid curved failure envelope. At stresses ap-
proaching the "residual" preconsoUdation pressure, the influence of interparticle locking
and cementing is reduced and the strength envelope undergoes a transition before failure
occurs in ultimate compression.
The nonlinear strength envelopes obtained over the range of stresses encountered in
 MILLAR AND MURRAY ON TRIAXIAL TESTING OF WEAK ROCKS 385

DEVIATOR STRESS V STRAIN

SAMPLE No. 2 8 5 0

[VALUES ARE EFFECTIVE C0NFININ8

PRESSURES (CTj' ) 3

VOLUMETRIC STRAIN V STRAIN

1000

[VALUES A R E EFFECTIVE CONFINING

PRESSURES 10^')]

2 3 4 5 6
STRAIN (%)

FIG. 8Specimen behavior during triaxial loading.

engineering structures mean that the strength characteristics cannot be adequately defined
using standard triaxial compression tests alone. The triaxial extension test on truncated
specimens provides good definition of the tensile properties and cohesive strength, while
the high stress triaxial test gives additional information on the performance of materials
over their transition in strength characteristics from soil to rockUke properties.

References
[1\ Bishop A. W. and Garga, V. K., "Drained Tension Tests on London Clay," Geotechnique, Vol.
19, No. 2, 1969, pp. 309-313.
[2] Murray, D. R., "Rotowaro Opencast ProspectPart 3," Report 2-87/4, Central Laboratories,
MWD, Lower Hutt, NZ, 1987.
[3] Millar, P. J., "Waikato Coal Fired Power Station Laboratory Testing," Report 2-85/8, Central
Laboratories, MWD, Lower Hutt, NZ, 1985.
[4] Murray, D. R. and Millar, P. J., "Mohaka River Power Investigations: Testing of Core and Block
Samples from the Raupunga Site," Report 2-83/4, Central Laboratories, MWD, Lower Hutt, NZ,
1983.
386 ADVANCED TRIAXIAL TESTING OF SOIL AND ROCK

[5] Murray, D. R., "Mohaka River InvestigationsClassification and Strength Testing of Core Material
from M42 and M55," Report 2-86/7, Central Laboratories, MWD, Lower Hutt, NZ, 1986.
[6] Lee, K. L. and Seed, H.B., "Drained Strength Characteristics of Sands,"/ouroa/o/Soj/Afec/wnics
and Foundations Division, Vol. 93, No. SMS, Nov. 1967, pp. 117-142.
[7] Latjai, E. Z., "Strengths of Discontinuous Rocks in Direct Shear," Geotechmque, Vol. 19, No. 2,
1969, pp. 218-233.