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Progressive Weakening of Granite by Piezoelectric Excitation of Quartz with Alternating Current

Abstract

A promising solution to reduce energy usage and mitigate the wear of drilling and comminution tools during mining operations involves inducing vibrations within the piezoelectric phases dispersed in the structure of rocks using alternating current (AC). This paper presents experimental evidence of AC-induced weakening of Kuru granite, manifested as improvements in rock drillability and reductions of strength. Sievers’ J-miniature drill tests were used to assess surface drillability. The impact of AC treatment on the quasi-static strength of granite was assessed via three-point bending and indirect tension Brazilian disk tests. The influence of AC treatment on the dynamic tensile strength of the rock was determined using split Hopkinson bar tests, with the fragmentation process captured using in situ ultra-fast synchrotron X-ray phase contrast imaging. The quasi-static tests revealed no reduction in rock strength after the AC treatment. In contrast, reductions of 25% in hardness and 18% in dynamic tensile strength were observed. Fragmentation patterns differed between treated and non-treated rocks, with treated specimens exhibiting reduced macrocrack formation during loading.
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Category

Academic article

Language

English

Author(s)

  • Rafael Arturo Rubio Ruiz
  • Nazanin Pournoori
  • Matti Isakov
  • Timo Saksala
  • Ruben Bjørge
  • Alexander Rack
  • Bratislav Lukic
  • Amitay Cohen
  • David Levi-Hevroni
  • Pascal-Alexandre Kane
  • Mikko Hokka

Affiliation

  • SINTEF Industry / Materials and Nanotechnology
  • Tampere University
  • European Synchrotron Radiation Facility
  • University of Manchester
  • Israel

Year

2024

Published in

Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering

ISSN

0723-2632

Volume

57

Page(s)

7963 - 7973

View this publication at Norwegian Research Information Repository