I. Vardoulakis et al., CONTINUUM FRACTURE-MECHANICS OF UNIAXIAL COMPRESSION ON BRITTLE MATERIALS, International journal of solids and structures, 35(31-32), 1998, pp. 4313
A review of the uniaxial compression test on brittle solids is present
ed. The discussion focuses on the description of the post-peak behavio
r, where strength softening and fractures propagating mainly in the ax
ial direction are observed. Based on experimental evidence and dimensi
onal analysis, the post-peak axial stress is seen as a function of the
axial displacement normalized by the radius of the specimen, and not
of its height. Accordingly, a continuum theory of stress diffusion is
developed that is able to account for size effect. As a practical appl
ication of the theory, the bearing capacity of a pillar in a deep mine
is considered. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.