Abstract 96-04684 PI: Joseph F. Labuz, University of Minnesota "Behavior of Rock in Multi-Axial States of Stress" This CONACyT award supports a collaborative research project planned between faculty at the University of Minnesota and the Engineering Institute of the National Autonomous University of Mexico. The project will combine analytical modeling from Mexico and experimental testing and field monitoring from Minnesota. The project is associated with work currently underway under NSF grant CMS-9532061 entitled "Assessing the Onset of Failure Through Acoustic Emissions." The research involves multi-axial compression testing of soft rock-like materials, establishing the peak and post- peak behavior and shear strength parameters, and using acoustic emission techniques to monitor an excavation likely to develop failure or progressive failure during construction. A novel piece of equipment, the University of Minnesota Plane-Strain Apparatus will be used in the testing. ****
