Relationship between Breaking Moments at the Dowel Hole and at Flexure under Concentrated Load of Ornamental Stones

Abstract

During its more than ten-year active life, numerous tests have been performed at LITHOS Laboratory for determining various physical mechanical properties on a significant variety of ornamental stones from Greece and abroad, in compliance with the applicable EN Standards. Given the somewhat evident similarity observed for the breaking mechanism on specimens during determination of the breaking load at dowel hole (EN 13364) and that of flexural strength under concentrated load (EN 12372), an attempt has been made to correlate the relevant results. The objective was to investigate the possibility of creating a potential practical tool for a first estimation of the breaking load at dowel hole, having performed only the much simpler flexural strength determination test. After the appropriate statics approach that has been developed for each test to simulate the relative breaking mechanisms followed by the specimens and the analysis of all the data available, it has been revealed that a linear relationship combining the breaking moments exerted on the specimens in both the aforementioned tests may be established. Taking into account the wide range and diversity of the types of ornamental stones employed, the correlation coefficient calculated for the linear equation describing this relationship is considered sufficient for serving the objective set for this experimental research work.