Relation between Kaiser effect levels and pre-stresses applied in the laboratory

This study aims to investigate the relation between the Kaiser effect (KE) levels and pre-stresses applied to rock samples in laboratory. For the purpose, a number of test specimens were obtained from different types of rock and a mortar block. Deformation and crack propagation stages were identified for each sample group. Based on the thresholds of these stages, the specimens were subjected to selected pre-stresses under uniaxial and axisymetric triaxial loading under laboratory conditions. Following the laboratory preloadings, acoustic emission (AE) experiments were carried out on the specimens under uniaxial loading conditions to determine the KE levels. The comparisons made between the laboratory pre-stresses and the KE levels suggest that the KE level is not equal to one of the pre-stress values or their differences, and should be related to combined effect of axial and confined pre-stresses, and some rock dependent characteristics.