News and Recent post IBERTEST

Client: ETH Zurich
Country: Switzerland
Sector: Rocks research

Introduction Current static loading experiments are often restricted to short durations due to instability, wear, and time demands on loading systems, or challenges related to largely uncontrolled environmental conditions (Voigtländer, 2018).  

ETH Zürich has acquired a two testing systems MEH-1000E static load testing machines, which are able to independently load two rock specimens under both CREEP uniaxial compression (UCS) and single edge notch three-point bending (SENB) configurations (up to 1000 kN for UCS tests, and 100 kN for SENB tests) with controlled temperature and humidity conditions for a period up to 100 days.
These machines were develod in cooperation with this prestigious research centre.

Test characteristics:  

• Rock specimen: UCS: 50 – 100 mm x 150 – 200 mm (diameter x length) SENB: 80 – 400 mm x 40 – 100 mm x 20 – 100 mm (length x width x thickness)

• Climate control: Temperature: – 20 to + 150 ° C, with variance of 0.1 ° C Relative humidity: 20 to 90%, with variance of 2.5% Heating and cooling rate: 0.5 to 20 ° C / hour;

• Load condition: Load capacity: 1000 kN for UCS test, 100 kN for SENB test Load control: ± 0.01 kN Displacement control: ± 0.001 mm

• Side window in the climatic chamber is suitable for optional digital image acquisition.  

UCS, double torsion (DT) and SENB experiments under controlled temperature, surface water, and humidity conditions on Herrnholz granite from Germany will be performed using the new testing equipment.