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IS : 9143 - 1979
(( Reafirmed
Reaffirmed 1987
2001) )

Indian Standurd
METHOD FOR THE DETERMINATION OF
UNCONFINED COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH
OF ROCK MATERIALS
( First Reprint AUGUST 1988)
I-
\

._’
UDC 624.121.439.4

BUREAU OF INDIAN STANDARDS

MANAK BHAVAN, 9 BAFf4DUR SH.4H ZIFAR MARG
NEW DELFfI 110002

Gr 2 Augusi 1979
 IS t 9143 - 1979

Indian Standard
METHOD FOR THE DETERMINATION OF
UNCONFINED COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH
OF ROCK MATERIALS
Soil Engineering and Rock Mechanics Sectional Committee, BDC 23
Chairman Repwrmting
Poor DINESH MOHAN Central Building Research Institute ( CSIR ).
Roorkee

MImbrrs
ADDXTTO~ALDIREOTOR RESEARCH, R&way B&d ( Ministry of Railways 1
( FJW. RDSO
D&JTY DIRECTOR RESEARCH,
( FE-I ), RDSO ( Altcmat~ )
PROP ALAX SINRH UnEversiiy of Jodhpur, Jodhpur
LT-COL AVTAR S~NQE Engineer-in-Chief’s Branch, Army’Headqdarterr
MAJ V. K. KANITKAR ( Altrmotr )
DRA. BANERJEZ Cementation Co Ltd. Calcutta
SHHI S. GUPTA ( Altrmatr )
DR R. K. BHANDARI Cent;~or~~ilding kc&arch Institute ( CSIR ),

CHIEF ENQINEER ( D & R ) Irrigation Department, Government ” of Punjab,

Chandigarh
DIRECTOR ( IPRI ) ( Alternate )
SHRI K. N. I)ADINA personal
In capacity ( P-820 h%w Aliporr,
Cnlrt46ta 700053 )
SHRI A. G. DA~TIDAR In personal capacity (5 Hunterford W&t, 12/l
Hungerford Court. Calcutta 700017 )
SHRI R. L. DEWAN Iftigatlon Rerralch Institute, Khagaul, Patna
Da G. S. DHILLON Indian Gcotrchnical Society, New Delhi
DIRECTOR ( CSMRS ) Ccntrel Water Commission, New Delhi
DEPUTY DIRECTOR ( CSMRS ) ( AlInn& )
SHRI A. H. b>rnNJI Asia Foundations & Construction (P) Ltd, Bombay
Saax A. N. JAN~LR ( Alirmatr )
DR GOPAL RANJAN University of Roorkee; Roorkce; and Institution of
Engineers ( India ) ( Delhi Ccntre )
DR SHASH~ K. GULEATI Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi
DR G. V. RAO ( Altsrnatr ),
SRRI v. G. HEoDE National Buildings Organisation, New Delhi
SHRI H. K. JAOWAWI ( Altrfnats )

( Continued on page 2 )

@Copyright 1979
-I
BUREAU OF INDIAN STANDARDS
This publication is protected under the Indian Ccprri& Act ( XIV of 1957 ). and
reproduction in whblc or in part by any means except with written permission of the
pub&her shall. be deemed to be an infringement of copyright under the said Act.
 IS : 9843 - 1979

( Continusd fidm pagr 1 )

M#mbrrr li*fJWJU,t;l#

.SHRI 0.. I!. MALEOTRA Public Works Department, Govemm& of Punjab,

Chandigarh
Sunx T. K. NATARAJAN Central Road Research Institute ( CSIR ),
New Delhi
RESEAIWE OF~JOER Building br Roads Research Laboratory, Chandigarh
Sast K. R. SAXBNA Engineering Research L8boratorics, Hydcrabad
SEORETARY Central Board of Drigation & Power, New Delhi
DEPUTY SXCRET&EY( Alttrnats )
SHRI M. M. D. SETH Public Works Department, Government of Uttar
Pradesh, Lucknow
.DR B. L. DHAWAN ( Altrrnatr )
SRRI M. K. SINC4BAL Irrigation Research Institute, Roorkce
‘Snnx N. SIVAWJRU Roads Wings ( Ministry of Shipping & Transport )
Sri81 D, V. SIKKA ( Altrmat~ )
SUPERJNTE~D~NQ ENOINEER Public Works Department, Government of Tamil
(P&D) Nadu, Madras
EXEOIJTIVE E N 0 I N E E R
r/C ( SM & RD ) ( Attrrnats )
SHIV B. T. UNWALLA Concrete Association of India, Bombay
Sri81 T. M. MENON ( Alternate )
Sii~r H. C. VER%lA All India Instruments Manufacturers & Dealers
Association, Bombay
SHRI V. S. VA~UDEVAN ( Alternate )
SHRI D. AJITHA SIMZW, Director Gencral,~BIS ( Ex-o&o M&bcr )
Director ( Civ Bngg 1

SERI R. M. MATHVR
Deputy Director ( Civ ‘Engg ), BlS

Rock Mechanics Subcommittee, BDC 23 : 5

Convtntr
SRRI R. S. MELKOTE Central Water Commission,
*
New Delhi

Mbmbrrr
SERI AYAR SINGE CentI;Pdork~~lding Research Institute ( CSIR ),

SEMI N. M. PATEL ( Alturfbd )

DIRECTOR Central Water dr Power Research StPtion, Pune
SYRIs. L. MOKBABHI( Alhate )
DIREOTO~ Maharashtra Engineering Research Institute, N8sik
RE~~AROH OFFICER ( Altwnalr )
SERI B. K. KAUL Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra
SHRI P. L. NARULA Geologic81 Survey of India, Lucknow
DR T. RA~~AXUWI%I Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi
DR Y. V. RA?ANA Nation81 Geophysical Research Institute, Hyder8b8d
SEC~ETABY Central Board of Irrigation and Power, New Delhi
D~~u-~Y SEORETARY( Aftrmotc)
DR B. SIN& Central Mining Research Station ( CSkR ), Dh8nb8d
Snnt A. K. DUBE ( Ahnatr )
SHRI H. C. VERbf.4 Associated Instruments Mfrs (I) Pvt Ltd, New Delhi
P8ov T. S. NA~ARAJ ( Altrrnata )

2
 IS: 9143- 1979

hdian Standard
METHOD FOR THE DETERMINATION OF
UNCONFINED COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH
OF ROCK MATERIALS

0. FOREWORD
0.1 This Indian Standard was adopted by the Indian Standards Inrtitu-
tion on 23 March 1979, after the draft finalized by the Soil Engineering
and Rock Mechamcs Sectional Committee had been approved by the
Civil Engineering Division Council.
0.2 The unconfined compressive strength test is primarily an index test
for strength classification of rock materials. Although it may be used in
the laboratory, it is mainly intended for field measurements on rock core
and outcrop specimens. The apparatus used in the test is light and
portable and can be used in the laboratory as well as in the field.
03 In the formulation of this standard due weightage has been given
to international co-ordination among the standards and practices
prevailing in different countries in addition to relating it to the practice
in the field in this country.
0.4 In reporting the result of a test made in accordan& with.this standard,
if the final value, observed or calculated, is to be rounded off, it shall be
done in accordance with IS : Z-1960*.

1, SCOPE
1.1 This standard covers the method for determination of unconfined
compressive strength of a rock sample in the form ofspecimens of regular
geometry.

2. APPARATUS
2.1 A suitable loading machine shall be used for applying and measuring
the axial load to the specimen. it shall be of sufficient capacity a-nd
capable of applying load at a rate conforming to the requirements given
in 4.3. It shall be verified and calibrated at suitable interuaks depending
on the work load.

*Ruler for rounding off numerical values ( mid ).

3
IS t 9143 - 1979

2.2 Discs made of steel having a hardness of not less than 30 HRC ( see
IS : 1586-1968* ) shall be placed at specimen ends. The thickness ofthe
discs shall be at least 15 mm. Surfaces of the discs shall be ground and their
flatness shall be within 0’025 mm. The diameter of the discs should be
same as the diameter of the specimen.
Nom 2 With abrasive rocks, these discs surfaces tend to roughen after a
number of specimens have been tested and hence need to be resurfaced from time to
time.
2.3 One of the two discs shall incorporate a spherical seat. The spherical
seat shall be placed on the upper end of the specimen. It shall be lightly
lubricated with mineral OS. The specimen, the discs and the spherical
seat shall be accurately centred with respect to one another and the
loading frame. The curvature centre of tbe seat surface should coincide
with the centre of the top surface of the specimen.

3. TEST SPECSMENS
3.1 Test specimen shall preferably be a right circular cylinder with
tolerances specified in 3.3, although specimen of any shape with regular
geometry could he used. The specimen should be prepared as specified
in IS : 9179-1979t.
3.2 The specimen shall be tested at a moisture content as clo+c to field
conditions as possible.
5.3 Specimen Dimensions
The length to diameter ratio of cylindrical specimen shall prefer-
ably be 2 to 3.
Nom- If the ratio is less than 2, usual correctiod shall be applied taking
standard slenderncsa ratio as 2.
The diameter of the specimen shall be more than ten times the
largest grain size in rock, preferably 45 mm, but iti no
mineral
case less than 35 mm.
NOTE-In case size is less than 45. mm, the tolerances given in (c) and
(e) may he suitably reduced.
Specimen ends shall be flat to within 0.05 mm.
The ends shall be parallel to each other within @002 D where
D js the specimen- diameter,
The ends shall be perpendicular to the axis of the specimen
within 0’001 radians ( 3’5 minutes ) or 0’05 mm in a 45 mm
diameter specimen.

*Method for Rockwell hardness test ( Band C rcales for steel ( fist r&&n ).
*Method for the preparation of rock specimensfor laLo ratory testing.

4
 fSr9143- 1979

f) The cylindrical surface shall be smooth and free from abrupt

irregularities, and straight to within 0.3 mm over the full length
of the specimen. The dimensions of the specimen shall not vary
by more than 0’2 mm over the length of the specimen.
g) The diameter of the test specimen shall be measured to the nearest
@l mm by averaging two diameters measured at right angles to
to each other at about the upper height, the mid-height and the
lower height of the specimen. It shall not vary by more than
0’3 mm over the length of the specimen.

4. TEST PROCEDVRE

4.1 The ability of spherical seat to rotate freely shall be checked before
each test.

6.2 The surfaces of the two bearing discs and the test specimen shall be
wiped clean. The specimen shall be kept on the lower disc. The axis
of the specimen shall be carefully aligned with the centre of the thrust of
the spherical seat. As the load is gradually brought to bear on the
specimen, the movable portion of the spherically seated disc shall be
adjusted to ensure uniform seating.

&3 Load on the specimen shall be applied continuously at a constant

stress rate such that failure Gill take place in about 5 to 15 minutes of
loading. Alternatively, the stress rate shall be within the limits of
0’5 MPa/s to 1 MPa/s.

4.4 The maximum load on the specimen shall be recorded in N within

1 Percent accuracy.

4.5 The number of specimens to be tested should be determined from

practical considerations, but at least five are required to obtain a
representative value.

5. CALCULATION

5.1 The unconfined compressive strength of the specimen shall be

calculated by dividing the maximum load carried by the specimen during
the test, by the average original cross-sectional area [sac 3(g) 1.

6. REPORT

6.1 The report shall give uniaxial compressive strength for each specimen
in the sample, expressed to three significant figures, together with the
average result for the sample.

5
1s : 916 - 1979

6.2 The report of test shall include the following information:

a) Number of specimens tested;
b) Mode of failure;
c) Lithological description of rock;
d) Orientation of loading axis with respect to anistropy, for example,
bedding planes, foliations, etc;
e) Source of sample, location, depth and orientation, and date of
sampling;
f) Storage history and environment;
g) Date of testing and type of machine used;
h) Specimen diameter and height;
j) Moisture content and room temperature;
k) Duration of the test and stress rate;
m) Other physical properties, such as specific gravity, absorption,
permeability and porosity, citing their method ofdetermination if
available;
n) Any other observation; and
p) Should it be necessary to test specimens of shapes other than
cylindrical, suitable mention of these fcti shall be made m the
report.

6
BUREAU OF INDIAN STANDARDS

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