Identifying Rock Failure Mechanisms Through Shear Wave Velocity Measurements

Shear wave velocities are used here as an indicator<br>for failure mechanism contributions in rock<br>compressive tests. Eleven high porosity carbonate<br>samples are tested with shear wave velocity<br>monitoring. Eight of them follow forced linear<br>confining-deviatoric stress paths while the remaining<br>three are uniaxial strain tests. Using the shear velocity<br>profile acquired on each test and a pre-defined model<br>for shear failure, it was possible to analyze the<br>contribution of failure mechanisms: shear failure and<br>pore collapse.