ABSTRACT
The accurate measurement of rock dynamic mechanical properties has always been a very important task for a variety of rock engineering and geophysical applications, which include quarrying, drilling, rock bursts, blasts, earthquakes, and projectile penetrations. In these applications, the rock materials are subjected to dynamic loading over a wide range of loading rates. Therefore, accurate determination of dynamic strength and toughness properties of rocks over a wide range of loading rates is crucial. However, in sharp contrast to the static rock testing methods, no recommended methods have been suggested by the International Society of Rock Mechanics (ISRM). In addition, the existing dynamic testing results with different methods and instrumentations are so scattered that cross-referencing of others’ results is unfeasible. It is thus necessary and urgent for the rock mechanics community to develop reliable suggested methods to standardize the mechanical testing of rocks under high loading rates.
