Numerical study on Brazilian test of slate with different bedding orientations

Bing Xie^{1, 2} Yunling Ma², Wuxiu Ding²

COMPUTER MODELLING & NEW TECHNOLOGIES 2014 18(12D) 350-355

¹Luoyang Institute of Hydraulic Engineering and Technology, Luoyang, 470123, Henan, China
²Civil Engineering Department, Luoyang Institute of Science and Technolegy, Luoyang, 471003, Henan, China

There are a variety of parallel planes of weakness in slate; consequently, slate's tensile strength can be significantly impacted by different bedding orientations in the weak planes. In order to reveal the anisotropy of tensile strength and difference between the fracture patterns caused by the orientation of weak planes, Brazilian tests were carried out using numerical specimens with ten types of bedding angles by implementing a discrete element method. The anisotropy of tensile strength and fracture patterns were obtained through a series of simulations; the results shows that there are three kinds of failure forms in the specimens, which are as follows: a pure tensile failure when the bedding angle was , a shearing failure when the bedding angle was , and a mixed failure mode when the bedding angle was between 40° and 70°.