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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Experimental study of opening-mode crack growth in rock: Final report, July 1, 1984--June 30, 1988

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:6875708
A test method suitable for measuring the fracture energy of large rock samples was developed. Fracture energies were measured on rock having a wide range of microstructures. The effect of microstructural differences on the fracture energies was found to be large and the effects of crack speed and chemical environment, small. Structural features controlling the fracture energy were identified. Microscopic observation of growing cracks was used to find the processes by which a rupture surface forms in rock. The size of the zone of energy dissipation during fracture and the amount of structural damage to the rock caused by crack propagation were determined. 4 refs.
Research Organization:
Yale Univ., New Haven, CT (USA). Dept. of Geology and Geophysics
DOE Contract Number:
AC02-79ER10445
OSTI ID:
6875708
Report Number(s):
DOE/ER/10445-5; ON: DE89003821
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English