Stress measurements from oriented core

Abstract

A low-cost methodology that allows the estimation of in situ and induced stress using oriented rock core specimens has been investigated. The technique can be used to determine the stresses either during the early stages of a project, even in undeveloped areas of a mine, or to measure in situ and induced stress within active mine workings, such as stopes and pillars. The research aim was to compare the experimental results estimated by the Acoustic Emission and Deformation Rate Analysis methods with those estimated by conventional HI cell measurements. Data was collected from a number of sites with different geological environments and in most cases the core was obtained from the same hole in which a conventional stress measurement had been carried out. The studies have focused on the determination of the full stress tensor from a single oriented cored rock. In all cases, the rock core specimens recollected similar in situ stress values to those estimated using conventional overcoring methods.