Disclosure to Promote the Right To Information

Whereas the Parliament of India has set out to provide a practical regime of right to
information for citizens to secure access to information under the control of public authorities,
in order to promote transparency and accountability in the working of every public authority,
and whereas the attached publication of the Bureau of Indian Standards is of particular interest
to the public, particularly disadvantaged communities and those engaged in the pursuit of
education and knowledge, the attached public safety standard is made available to promote the
timely dissemination of this information in an accurate manner to the public.
1 +, 1 +

01 ' 5

The Right to Information, The Right to Live

Step Out From the Old to the New

Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan

Jawaharlal Nehru

IS 9143 (1979): Method for the determination of unconfined

compressive strength of rock materials [CED 48: Rock
Mechanics]

! $ ' +-
Satyanarayan Gangaram Pitroda

Invent a New India Using Knowledge

! > 0 B

BharthariNtiatakam

Knowledge is such a treasure which cannot be stolen

p+stqt

q&,

+E-A
FFIR,MED
IS : 9143 - 1979
Reaffirmed 1987
2001) )
(( Reafirmed

Indian Standurd
METHOD FOR THE DETERMINATION
OF
UNCONFINED
COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH
OF ROCK MATERIALS
( First Reprint

AUGUST

1988)

I\

._

UDC

BUREAU
MANAK

Gr

OF
BHAVAN,

624.121.439.4

INDIAN

STANDARDS

9 BAFf4DUR
SH.4H
NEW DELFfI 110002

ZIFAR

MARG

Augusi 1979

19%

IS t 9143 - 1979

Indian Standard
METHOD FOR THE DETERMINATION OF
UNCONFINED COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH
OF ROCK MATERIALS
Soil Engineering

and Rock

Mechanics

Chairman
Poor

Sectional

Committee,

BDC 23

Repwrmting

DINESH MOHAN

Central
Building
Roorkee

Research

Institute

( CSIR

).

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-Chiefs
Branch, ArmyHeadqdarterr
MAJ V. K. KANITKAR
( Altrmotr )
Cementation
Co Ltd. Calcutta
DRA. BANERJEZ
SHHI S. GUPTA ( Altrmatr )
DR R. K. BHANDARI
Cent;~or~~ilding
kc&arch
Institute
( CSIR ),
CHIEF ENQINEER ( D & R )
DIRECTOR ( IPRI
SHRI K. N. I)ADINA

Irrigation
Department,
Chandigarh

Government

of

Punjab,

) ( Alternate )

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

( Continued on page 2 )

BUREAU

@Copyright
1979
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.

-I

IS : 9843 - 1979
( Continusd

fidm pagr 1 )
li*fJWJU,t;l#

M#mbrrr
.SHRI

0.. I!. MALEOTRA

Public Works Department,

Govemm&
of Punjab,
Chandigarh
Central
Road
Research
Institute
( CSIR ),
New Delhi
Building
br Roads Research
Laboratory,
Chandigarh
Engineering
Research
L8boratorics,
Hydcrabad
Central Board of Drigation
& Power, New Delhi

Sunx T. K. NATARAJAN
RESEAIWE

OF~JOER

Sast

SAXBNA

K. R.

SEORETARY

DEPUTY SXCRET&EY( Alttrnats )

Public
Works Department,
Government
of Uttar
SHRI M. M. D. SETH
Pradesh, Lucknow
.DR B. L. DHAWAN ( Altrrnatr )
Irrigation
Research Institute,
Roorkce
SRRI M. K. SINC4BAL
Snnx N. SIVAWJRU
Roads Wings ( Ministry
of Shipping
& Transport
)
Sri81 D, V. SIKKA ( Altrmat~ )
ENOINEER Public
Works
Department,
Government
of Tamil
SUPERJNTE~D~NQ
Nadu, Madras
(P&D)
EXEOIJTIVE E N 0 I N E E R
r/C ( SM & RD ) ( Attrrnats )
Concrete Association
of India, Bombay
SHIV B. T. UNWALLA
Sri81 T. M. MENON ( Alternate )
All India
Instruments
Manufacturers
& Dealers
Sii~r H. C. VER%lA
Association,
Bombay
SHRI V. S. VA~UDEVAN ( Alternate )
Director
Gencral,~BIS
( Ex-o&o
M&bcr )
SHRI D. AJITHA SIMZW,
Director
( Civ Bngg 1

Deputy

Rock

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

Mechanics

Subcommittee,

BDC 23 : 5

Convtntr
SRRI R. S. MELKOTE

Central

Water

Commission,
*

New Delhi

Mbmbrrr
SERI AYAR SINGE
SEMI N. M. PATEL (
DIRECTOR

CentI;Pdork~~lding
Alturfbd

Research

Institute

( CSIR

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

SYRIs. L. MOKBABHI( Alhate

),

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
Inrtitution 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
to international
co-ordination
among
the standards
prevailing
in different
countries
in addition to relating
in the field in this country.

has been given

and
practices
it to the practice

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
it shall be of sufficient capacity
a-nd
the axial load to the specimen.
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 0025 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
It shall be lightly
seat shall be placed on the upper end of the specimen.
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

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.
tolerances

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
ably be 2 to 3.

specimen shall prefer-

If the ratio is less than 2, usual correctiod shall be applied taking

Nomstandard slenderncsa ratio as 2.

The diameter

of the specimen shall be more than ten times the

grain size in rock, preferably 45 mm, but iti no
case less than 35 mm.

largest

mineral

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 0001 radians ( 35 minutes ) or 005 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

fSr9143f)

1979

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 02 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
03 mm over the length of the specimen.
4. TEST PROCEDVRE
4.1 The ability
each test.

of spherical

seat to rotate

freely shall

be checked

before

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
As the load is gradually
brought to bear on the
the spherical
seat.
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
Alternatively,
the stress rate shall be within the limits of
loading.
05 MPa/s to 1 MPa/s.
4.4 The maximum
1 Percent accuracy.

load on the specimen

shall

be recorded

in N within

4.5 The number of specimens to be tested should be determined

from
but at least five are required
to obtain
a
practical
considerations,
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
in the sample, expressed to three significant
average result for the sample.
5

strength
figures,

for each specimen

together with the

1s : 916 - 1979
6.2 The report

of test shall include

a) Number
b) Mode

of specimens

the following

information:

tested;

of failure;

c) Lithological

description

of rock;

d) Orientation
of loading axis with respect to anistropy,
bedding planes, foliations, etc;
e) Source of sample, location,
depth and orientation,
sampling;
f) Storage history and environment;
g) Date of testing and type of machine used;
h) Specimen
j) Moisture

diameter
content

for example,
and

date

of

and height;
and room temperature;

k) Duration
of the test and stress rate;
m) Other physical properties,
such as specific gravity,
absorption,
if
permeability
and porosity, citing their method ofdetermination
available;
n) Any other observation;
and
p) Should it be necessary
to test specimens
cylindrical,
suitable mention of these fcti
report.

of shapes other than

shall be made m the

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INDIAN

OF

STANDARDS

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