Scale Effect on the Tensile Strength in the Brazilian Test

Determination of the mechanical properties of rock materials has been remained as a challenge for engineering geologists. In-situ tests are rarely used to determine the mechanical properties of rocks due to difficulties in sample preparation, performing and interpretation of the results, high costs as well as the required long time for doing the experiments. The common approach to determine the mechanical properties of rock materials is through conducting laboratory experiments and estimation the in-situ properties based on these laboratory results. This approximation, which is called scale effect, has been remained as a challenge for engineering geologists and practical rock engineers for decades.