Overcoring Methods for Stress Measurements in

Competent rocks
Overcoring methods are measuring in situ stress based on the stress relief around the borehole.
The relief of external forces by overcoring causes the changes in
borehole diameter for "USBM deformation gage";
strain on the borehole wall for "Triaxial strain cell" or
changes in strain on the flat end of the borehole for "!oorsto""er".
#f the elastic "ro"erties of the roc$ are $nown the changes in borehole diameter or strains can be
converted to in situ stress in the roc$.
USBM deformation gage - method
The USBM three%com"onent borehole deformation gage is designed to measure diametral
deformations of an &'%si(e )*.+" in diameter, borehole during overcoring a concentric borehole
)-" in diameter,. The diametral deformations are measured in three directions )-. degree a"art, in
the same diametral "lane.
The field "rocedures consist of drilling a concentric &'%si(e borehole installation of the
deformation gage and overcoring a stress relief borehole.
Click the above picture to get the full size drawing.
USBM deformation gage - instrument
The borehole deformation gage consists of six strain%gaged cantilever transducers made out of
heat%treated beryllium co""er. /t the free end of each cantilever tungsten carbide button is
mounted to ma$e a contact with the borehole wall. / "air of transducers "laced *0. degree
a"art measure diametral deformation of the borehole.
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USBM eformation gage
USBM deformation gage - theor!
#f the borehole is oriented in .y direction and the x( "lane is "er"endicular to the borehole the
diametral deformation d at )angle measured countercloc$wise from .x oriented with the a "air
of buttons, can be re"resented as follows based on the theory of elasticity and the 3irsch
solution.
The diametral deformations at 4. -. and *5. are measured from field testing. 6oung7s
modulus & and 8oisson7s ratio are measured from the extracted core. #f the stress com"onent
y "arallel to the borehole is $nown )usually assumed to be (ero for shallow measurements, the
stress com"onents in x( "lane can be calculated as follows.
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"hree channels of diametral deformations logged continuousl! as the deformation gage is
overcored. #s the overcoring bit passes through the plane of measurements the stresses
are relieved and the results are shown as diametral deformations $#fter %isher& '()*+.
9 To" 9
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