A study on the validity of stress measurements in jointed crystalline rock

In conclusion, USBM gages seem to be a good way to measure stresses in crystalline-rock block tests. Principal stresses measured within the block align very well under uniaxial stress and appear to be related to the fracture orientation under biaxial stress. Better alignment with respect to the applied stress directions would be expected to develop if higher applied stresses were attainable. Flatjack construction precluded application of pressures above 5.6 MPa. Variation of stress magnitudes within the block result in part from the difficulty in separating modulus variation from stress field variation. Determination of anisotropic elastic properties and their application in USBM gage reduction would probably improve measured stress results. Further investigations in this area are currently being pursued at CSM, in conjunction with the University of Colorado