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At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1976

Rock failure analysis by combined thermal weakening and water jet impact

The influence of preheating on the initiation of fracture in rocks subjected to the impingement of a continuous water jet is studied. Preheating the rock is assumed to degrade its mechanical properties and strength in accordance with existing experimental data. The water jet is assumed to place a quasi-static loading on the surface of the rock. The loading is approximated by elementary functions which permit analytic computation of the induced stresses in a rock half-space. The resulting stresses are subsequently coupled with the Griffith criteria for tensile failure to estimate the change, due to heating, in the critical stagnation pressure and velocity of the water jet required to cause failure in the rock.

Nayfeh, A. H.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Impact-induced tensional failure in rock

Planar impact experiments were employed to induce dynamic tensile failure in Bedford limestone. Rock disks were impacted with aluminum and polymethyl methacralate flyer plates at velocities of 10 to 25 m/s. This resulted in tensile stresses in the range of 11 to 160 MPa. Tensile stress durations of 0.5 and 1.3 microsec induced microcrack growth which in many experiments were insufficient to cause complete spalling of the samples. Velocity reduction, and by inference microcrack production, occurred in samples subjected to stresses above 35 MPa in the 1.3-microsec PMMA experiments and 60 MPa in the 0.5-microsec aluminum experiments. Apparent fracture toughnesses of 2.4 and 2.5 MPa m exp 1/2 are computed for the 1.3- and 0.5-microsec experiments. Three-dimensional impact experiments were conducted on 20 cm-sized blocks of Bedford limestone and San Marcos gabbro. Compressional wave velocity deficits up to 50-60 percent were observed in the vicinity of the crater. The damage decreases as about r exp -1.5 from the crater, indicating a dependence on the magnitude and duration of the tensile pulse.

Ahrens, Thomas J.↗
NASA NTRS1991

One- and three-dimensional impact-induced tensional failure in rock

Planar impact (10 to 25 m/sec) experiments were employed to induce dynamic tensile failure in Bedford limestone for stress durations of 0.5 and 1.3 microsec. Ultrasonic P- and S-wave velocities of recovered targets demonstrate deficits caused by microcracks at tensile stresses greater than 35 and 60 MPa in 1.3 and 0.5 microsec experiments. Three-dimensional impact experiments on 20 cm-sized blocks of Bedford limestone and San Marcos gabbro demonstrate compressional wave velocity deficits up to 30 percent in the vicinity of the crater. The damage microcrack decreases as r exp -1.56 from the crater, indicating a dependence on the magnitude and duration of the tensile hoop stresses associated with the impact-induced shock wave.

Ahrens, Thomas J.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Precursors to failure in rocks while undergoing anelastic deformations

Specimens of pyrophyllite, which exhibits large anelastic deformation before brittle failure, were stressed to failure in a biaxial press to model stress accumulation prior to an earthquake. Optical holography, sound velocity measurements and photography through transparent pistons were used to study the specimens. A zone of preferential deformation around the incipient fault was monitored at 50% or more of ultimate failure strength; reversals of seismic velocities and formation of en echelon cracks near the coming macrocrack were also observed. The dependence of the seismic velocity reversals on moisture was noted.

Sobolev, G.↗
NASA NTRS1971

An experimental study of the mechanism of failure of rocks under borehole jack loading

Laboratory and field tests with an experimental jack and an NX-borehole jack are reported. The following conclusions were made: Under borehole jack loading, a circular opening in a brittle solid fails by tensile fracturing when the bearing plate width is not too small. Two proposed contact stress distributions can explain the mechanism of tensile fracturing. The contact stress distribution factor is a material property which can be determined experimentally. The borehole tensile strength is larger than the rupture flexural strength. Knowing the magnitude and orientation of the in situ stress field, borehole jack test results can be used to determine the borehole tensile strength. Knowing the orientation of the in situ stress field and the flexural strength of the rock substance, the magnitude of the in situ stress components can be calculated. The detection of very small cracks is essential for the accurate determination of the failure loads which are used in the calculation of strengths and stress components.

Van, T. K.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Factors controlling the structures of magma chambers in basaltic volcanoes

The depths, vertical extents, and lateral extents of magma chambers and their formation are discussed. The depth to the center of a magma chamber is most probably determined by the density structure of the lithosphere; this process is explained. It is commonly assumed that magma chambers grow until the stress on the roof, floor, and side-wall boundaries exceed the strength of the wall rocks. Attempts to grow further lead to dike propagation events which reduce the stresses below the critical values of rock failure. The tensile or compressive failure of the walls is discussed with respect to magma migration. The later growth of magma chambers is accomplished by lateral dike injection into the country rocks. The factors controlling the patterns of growth and cooling of such dikes are briefly mentioned.

Wilson, L.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Implications of lunar aseismicity.

The aseismicity of the moon has been interpreted by Latham et al. (1970) as an indication that the moon is relatively cold in the interior. An alternative argument is now presented. This argument suggests the reverse conclusion, that the moon is too warm to be seismic. The argument is based on known properties of materials, in particular their modes of failure under shear stress. A tentative conclusion is presented that the moon is largely aseismic because the lunar-therm lies in the stable-sliding field of rock failure. It is too warm, rather than too cold.

Thomsen, L.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Shatter cones: Diagnostic impact signatures

Uniquely fractured target rocks known as shatter cones are associated with more than one half the world's 120 or so presently known impact structures. Shatter cones are a form of tensile rock failure in which a positive conical plug separates from a negative outer cup or mold and delicate ornaments radiating from an apex are preserved on surfaces of both portions. Although distinct, shatter cones are sometimes confused with other striated geologic features such as ventifacts, stylolites, cone-in-cone, slickensides, and artificial blast plumes. Complete cones or solitary cones are rare, occurrences are usually as swarms in thoroughly fractured rock. Shatter cones may form in a zone where an expanding shock wave propagating through a target decays to form an elastic wave. Near this transition zone, the expanding primary wave may strike a pebble or other inhomogeneity whose contrasting transmission properties produce a scattered secondary wave. Interference between primary and secondary scattered waves produce conical stress fields with axes perpendicular to the plane of an advancing shock front. This model supports mechanism capable of producing such shatter cone properties as orientation, apical clasts, lithic dependence, and shock pressure zonation. Although formational mechanics are still poorly understood, shatter cones have become the simplest geologic field criterion for recognizing astroblemes (ancient terrestrial impact structures).

Mchone, J. F.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Multidisciplinary research leading to utilization of extraterrestrial resources

Progress of the research accomplished during fiscal year 1972 is reported. The summaries presented include: (1) background analysis and coordination, (2) surface properties of rock in simulated lunar environment, (3) rock failure processes, strength and elastic properties in simulated lunar environment, (4) thermal fragmentation, and thermophysical and optical properties in simulated lunar environment, and (5) use of explosives on the moon.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1979

Comparison of single crack propagation in lunar analogue glass and the failure strength of rocks

New data of crack propagation in lunar analogue glass provides important input for the construction of deformation maps (maps which delineate the rates and principal means of material deformation under various environmental conditions) applicable to the lunar crust. Comparison of single crack propagation data obtained on flat plates of glass and failure strength data obtained on fine grained rock samples show that single crack propagation velocities are directly related to the failure strength of rocks. The chemical reaction between water and silicon-oxygen bonds at the crack tip seems to be of first order. This greatly simplifies extrapolation to low partial pressures of H2O

Soga, N.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Observations, models, and mechanisms of failure of surface rocks surrounding planetary surface loads

Geophysical models of flexural stresses in an elastic lithosphere due to an axisymmetric surface load typically predict a transition with increased distance from the center of the load of radial thrust faults to strike-slip faults to concentric normal faults. These model predictions are in conflict with the absence of annular zones of strike-slip faults around prominent loads such as lunar maria, Martian volcanoes, and the Martian Tharsis rise. We suggest that this paradox arises from difficulties in relating failure criteria for brittle rocks to the stress models. Indications that model stresses are inappropriate for use in fault-type prediction include (1) tensile principal stresses larger than realistic values of rock tensile strength, and/or (2) stress differences significantly larger than those allowed by rock-strength criteria. Predictions of surface faulting that are consistent with observations can be obtained instead by using tensile and shear failure criteria, along with calculated stress differences and trajectories, with model stress states not greatly in excess of the maximum allowed by rock fracture criteria.

Schultz, R. A.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Dynamic tensile-failure-induced velocity deficits in rock

Planar impact experiments were employed to induce dynamic tensile failure in Bedford limestone. Rock disks were impacted with aluminum and polymethyl methacralate (PMMA) flyer plates at velocities of 10 to 25 m/s. Tensile stress magnitudes and duration were chosen so as to induce a range of microcrack growth insufficient to cause complete spalling of the samples. Ultrasonic P- and S-wave velocities of recovered targets were compared to the velocities prior to impact. Velocity reduction, and by inference microcrack production, occurred in samples subjected to stresses above 35 MPa in the 1.3 microsec PMMA experiments and 60 MPa in the 0.5 microsec aluminum experiments. Using a simple model for the time-dependent stress-intensity factor at the tips of existing flaws, apparent fracture toughnesses of 2.4 and 2.5 MPa sq rt m are computed for the 1.3 and 0.5 microsec experiments. These are a factor of about 2 to 3 greater than quasi-static values. The greater dynamic fracture toughness observed may result from microcrack interaction during tensile failure. Data for water-saturated and dry targets are indistinguishable.

Rubin, Allan M.↗
NASA NTRS1991

The strength of Miranda's lithosphere

In attempting to understand the endogenic processes which have shaped the surface of an icy satellite, it is desirable to quantify the failure strength of the satellite's lithosphere. In a crust that is fractured on a large scale, frictional sliding along pre-existing fractures occurs in response to lower differential stresses than required to initiate fracture of pristine rock, thus governing failure of a brittle lithosphere. Failure is predicted along favorably oriented fracture planes; if fractures of all orientations are assumed to be present in the crust (as is expected of a heavily cratered lithosphere), frictional failure relations are directly applicable. The Coulomb criterion predicts that the shear stress (sigma sub t) and normal stress (sigma sub n) components on a fracture plane at failure are related as sigma sub t = mu-sigma sub n + S sub o, where S sub o is the cohesion and mu is the coefficient of friction. At moderate to high pressures, the frictional sliding strength of most materials is found to be sigma sub t = 0.85 sigma sub n.

Pappalardo, Robert↗
NASA NTRS1996

Fossil preservation and the stratigraphic ranges of taxa

The incompleteness of the fossil record hinders the inference of evolutionary rates and patterns. Here, we derive relationships among true taxonomic durations, preservation probability, and observed taxonomic ranges. We use these relationships to estimate original distributions of taxonomic durations, preservation probability, and completeness (proportion of taxa preserved), given only the observed ranges. No data on occurrences within the ranges of taxa are required. When preservation is random and the original distribution of durations is exponential, the inference of durations, preservability, and completeness is exact. However, reasonable approximations are possible given non-exponential duration distributions and temporal and taxonomic variation in preservability. Thus, the approaches we describe have great potential in studies of taphonomy, evolutionary rates and patterns, and genealogy. Analyses of Upper Cambrian-Lower Ordovician trilobite species, Paleozoic crinoid genera, Jurassic bivalve species, and Cenozoic mammal species yield the following results: (1) The preservation probability inferred from stratigraphic ranges alone agrees with that inferred from the analysis of stratigraphic gaps when data on the latter are available. (2) Whereas median durations based on simple tabulations of observed ranges are biased by stratigraphic resolution, our estimates of median duration, extinction rate, and completeness are not biased.(3) The shorter geologic ranges of mammalian species relative to those of bivalves cannot be attributed to a difference in preservation potential. However, we cannot rule out the contribution of taxonomic practice to this difference. (4) In the groups studied, completeness (proportion of species [trilobites, bivalves, mammals] or genera [crinoids] preserved) ranges from 60% to 90%. The higher estimates of completeness at smaller geographic scales support previous suggestions that the incompleteness of the fossil record reflects loss of fossiliferous rock more than failure of species to enter the fossil record in the first place.

NASA Program Exobiology↗
NASA NTRS2020

Percussion Mechanism for the Mars2020 Coring Drill

The Mars2020 rover includes a Sampling & Caching Subsystem (SCS) that is required to acquire core samples of hard rocks and to abrade rocky surfaces flat and smooth in order to facilitate surface science. Hard, high strength rocks exhibit brittle failure modes, and can be drilled and chiseled efficiently using percussive impacts. The coring drill percussion mechanism was designed to provide those impacts with variable output force and to be used with various drill bits. A unique hammering mechanism, using a base-driven hammer, powered by a conventional rotary actuator driving a Scotch yoke, was designed to robustly provide the required function in a Martian environment for a life exceeding 2 million impacts.

Chrystal, Kyle↗
NASA NTRS1971

Lunar surface engineering properties experiment definition

Research on the mechanics of lunar soils and on developing probes to determine the properties of lunar surface materials is summarized. The areas of investigation include the following: soil simulation, soil property determination using an impact penetrometer, soil stabilization using urethane foam or phenolic resin, effects of rolling boulders down lunar slopes, design of borehole jack and its use in determining failure mechanisms and properties of rocks, and development of a permeability probe for measuring fluid flow through porous lunar surface materials.

Mitchell, J. K.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Acoustic fluidization - A new geologic process

A number of geologic processes, particularly seismic faulting, impact crater slumping, and long runout landslides, require the failure of geologic materials under differential stresses much smaller than expected on the basis of conventional rock mechanics. This paper proposes that the low strengths apparent in these phenomena are due to a state of 'acoustic fluidization' induced by a transient strong acoustic wave field. The strain rates possible in such a field are evaluated, and it is shown that acoustically fluidized debris behaves as a newtonian fluid with a viscosity in the range 100,000 to 10,000,000 P for plausible conditions. Energy gains and losses in the acoustic field are discussed, and the mechanism is shown to be effective if internal dissipation in the field gives a Q approximately greater than 100. Whether such values for Q are realized is not known at present. However, acoustic fluidization provides a qualitatively correct description of the failure of rock debris under low differential stresses in the processes of faulting, crater slumping, and long runout landslides. Acoustic fluidization thus deserves serious consideration as a possible explanation of these phenomena.

Melosh, H. J.↗