Mahia UCS TestingWas it really worth it?

What is UCS testing?Unconfined Compressive StrengthTo determine the load a sample can take to

create a failure of some description.Examples of UCS testing include, concrete,

soil stabilisation (cement or lime) and rock.Stress=Force/Area (MPa=N/mm2)

Aim:To establish the compressive strength of the

rock found on the wall to find out if the rock is suitable for stabilisation to save the road above.

Why are we interested in finding the UCS of this sandstone?To reinforce the sandstone rock found in the wall.

How is it going to be reinforced?By drilling holes in to the sandstone and grouting

in reinforcing bars.

Testing Standard

AS 1141.51 - 1996

Key Points – Load rate, 1mm/min or 60 +/- 6kN/minEnd surfaces shall be plane and be at right

angles to the axis of the cylinder2 to 1 ratio

“The coal face”

Abseiling is serious business

Just smile for the camera, they

won’t know I’m crapping my

pants!

The A Team was reunited………..

Andrew “Face” Cameron

Rhys “Hannibal” Jones

Steve “BA” Darby

Or was it more like the 3 Stooges?

Time will tell

Raw sample

Sample needed to be secured so that it could be cored

Core drill setup

Freshly Cored Cylinder

Preparing cylinder

Finished product

Set up and ready for testing

Now the questions are, was Hamish happy with the results he got and were they what he wanted and was it all worth it?

In a nut shell

Results ranged from 1.0 MPa – 8.5 MPa15 MPa was the preferred target

Hmmmmmmmm

Is he about to turn green?

But……………..Better to have tested and find out the

sandstone was not suitable than to discover that fact after money and time was spent on it to watch it potentially fail.

Phew, he’s happy

“Sweet as”