An experimental study of stress wave transmission at a metallic-rock interface and dynamic tensile failure of sandstone, limestone, and granite

An experimental technique is described for determination of dynamic tensile fracture strength of brittle solids. This technique has been used to determine the dynamic tensile fracture strength of several types of rock. The rocks studied were granite, limestone, and sandstone; the specimens were cored perpendicular to the bedding plane for these rocks. The quasi-static fracture strengths of the same solids were also determined for comparison with the dynamic strengths. The dynamic strengths have been found to be several times the quasi-static strengths, thus showing a strong dependence of fracture strength on strain rate.