Cleavage Dependent Indirect Tensile Strength of Pocheon Granite Based on Experiments and DEM Simulation

The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of cleavages on indirect tensile strength (ITS) of the granite. Brazilian disc tests and ring tests with three different hole sizes were performed. 2D DEM (Discrete Element Method) simulation was employed to further understand the failure process during the tests and the mechanism behind. Results show that ITS decreases across hardway, grain and rift cleavage. Measured average ITS from ring tests is about 2.5 ~ 6.4 times of those measured from Brazilian disc tests, and it decreases with increasing ratio of diameters of inner hole and specimen. Failure pattern in ring tests is influenced by both hole size and relative positions of cleavages parallel and perpendicular to the loading direction. KCI Citation Count: 0