Prediction of Fracture Damage of Sandstone Using Digital Image Correlation

Fanxiu Chen,Endong Wang,Fanzhen Meng,Liming Zhang,Bin Zhang

doi:10.3390/app10041280

Fanxiu Chen, Endong Wang + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/app10041280

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Abstract

Investigation on the deformation mechanism of sandstone is crucial to understanding the life cycle patterns of pertinent infrastructure systems considering the extensive adoption of sandstone in infrastructure construction of various engineering systems, e.g., agricultural engineering systems. In this study, the state-of-the-art digital image correlation (DIC) method, which uses classical digital photography, is employed to explore the detailed failure course of sandstone with physical uniaxial compression tests. Four typical points are specifically selected to characterize the global strain field by plotting their corresponding strain–time relationship curves. Thus, the targeted failure thresholds are identified. The Hill–Tsai failure criterion and finite element simulation are then used for the cross-check process of DIC predictions. The results show that, though errors exist between the experimental and the theoretical values, overall, they are sufficiently low to be ignored, indicating good agreement. From the results, near-linear relationships between strain and time are detected before failure at the four chosen points and the failure strain thresholds are almost the same; as low as 0.004. Failure thresholds of sandstone are reliably determined according to the strain variation curve, to forecast sandstone damage and failure. Consequently, the proposed technology and associated information generated from this study could be of assistance in the safety and health monitoring processes of relevant infrastructure system applications.

Highlights

As one typical type of sedimentary rock, often consisting of sand-scale mineral particles, sandstone has long been used as a functional construction material in various project types of pavements, hydraulic systems, warehouses, and underground structures for structural purposes in diverse agricultural and industrial sectors [1,2,3,4]
By conducting uniaxial compression experiments on sandstone, this paper proposes to use the state-of-the-art digital image correlation method to gain the full-field strain of sandstone model subject to the process of uniaxial compression
In order to test the accuracy of the experiment results, a finite element simulation was carried out on the sandstone specimen using the common finite element method (FEM) software Abaqus for the cross-check process

Summary

Introduction

As one typical type of sedimentary rock, often consisting of sand-scale mineral particles (e.g., quartz, feldspar), sandstone has long been used as a functional construction material in various project types of pavements, hydraulic systems, warehouses, and underground structures for structural purposes in diverse agricultural and industrial sectors [1,2,3,4]. The failure mechanism and pattern of sandstone imposes an important role on the safe construction and operation of pertinent structures. The material properties of sandstone are often observed and characterized to be of discontinuity, nonlinearity, anisotropy, and non-elasticity [5]. This leaves the prediction of the structural behavior and performance of sandstone as a significant challenge. Mechanical properties and failure patterns of sandstone have been the common research focus of various disciplines integrating mechanics, material science, and engineering [6,7].

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