Rock Shear Box Apparatus

Rock Shear Box Apparatus – Shear Strength Testing of Rock Specimens

The Rock Shear Box Apparatus is a robust testing device designed to determine the shear strength of rock materials. It is ideal for evaluating slope stability, joint behavior, and bedding plane integrity in both field and laboratory environments. Capable of handling rock blocks up to 115 × 125 mm or cores up to 102 mm diameter, this apparatus is a critical tool in geotechnical, mining, and tunneling investigations.

Key Features of Rock Shear Box Apparatus

• Heavy-Duty Steel Construction: Provides a rigid frame to ensure test consistency under high loads.

• Dual-Directional Shear Testing: Two horizontal hydraulic rams enable shear application in either direction for flexible testing protocols.

• Vertical Loading System: One vertical loading ram simulates overburden or structural loads during testing.

• Precision Load Monitoring: Includes two 150 mm Bourdon tube load gauges (50 kN capacity, 1 kN divisions) with quick-release couplings for accurate load tracking.

• Manual Control System: Comes with two hand-operated hydraulic pumps and a 25 mm × 0.01 mm dial gauge for displacement measurement.

• Compact & Portable: Suitable for use in the field or laboratory.

Applications of Rock Shear Box Apparatus

• Slope Stability Analysis: Assess the shear strength along discontinuities in rock slopes.

• Tunnel & Underground Construction: Evaluate rock quality and joint behavior during excavation planning.

• Mining & Quarrying: Guide blasting, benching, and excavation based on rock shear resistance.

• Geotechnical Investigation: Used for designing rock foundations and retaining systems.

• Educational Use: Ideal for teaching rock mechanics and slope failure analysis in academic labs.

Included Accessories

• Two hand pumps with hydraulic hoses

• Two Bourdon tube load gauges

• Dial gauge for displacement measurement

• Hydraulic loading rams (vertical and horizontal)

Optional Accessories

Standards Compliance

• BS 1377

• EN 1997-3

• ASTM D1194 / D1195 / D1196