EXPERIMENTAL OBSERVATIONS OF ROCK FAILURE DUE TO LASER RADIATION

Hard rock tunnelling is an expensive process due to the fact that tunnelling machines must be extremely rugged and powerful to overcome the high strength of intact hard rock. There has been a considerable amount of interest in assisting the progress of hard rock tunnelling machines by developing techniques to weaken the rock before it is mechanically broken. The report reviews the present state of knowledge about the interaction of laser radiation with solid materials such as rocks. It also presents experimental techniques used to cause various modes of failure in rock specimens by laser irradiation. The thermal and mechanical responses of laser irradiated specimens were observed and these phenomena were compared with the analytical data for the temperature and stress distributions in such specimens. (Author)

  • Corporate Authors:

    Massachusetts Institute of Technology

    Department of Civil Engineering, 77 Massachusetts Avenue
    Cambridge, MA  United States  02139
  • Authors:
    • Farra, G
    • Nelson, C R
    • Moavenzadeh, F
  • Publication Date: 1969-4

Media Info

  • Pagination: 13 p.

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 00054325
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
  • Report/Paper Numbers: Res Rpt
  • Contract Numbers: C-85-65
  • Files: TRIS
  • Created Date: Jun 10 1974 12:00AM