Stress Distribution During Cold Compression of Rocks and Mineral Aggregates Using Synchrotron-based X-Ray Diffraction
At a Glance
Section titled āAt a Glanceā| Metadata | Details |
|---|---|
| Publication Date | 2018-05-20 |
| Journal | Journal of Visualized Experiments |
| Authors | C. S. N. Cheung, Donald J. Weidner, Li Li, P. G. Meredith, Haiyan Chen |
| Institutions | University of WisconsināMadison, University College London |
Abstract
Section titled āAbstractāWe report detailed procedures for performing compression experiments on rocks and mineral aggregates within a multi-anvil deformation apparatus (D-DIA) coupled with synchrotron X-radiation.A cube-shaped sample assembly is prepared and compressed, at room temperature, by a set of four X-ray transparent sintered diamond anvils and two tungsten carbide anvils, in the lateral and the vertical planes, respectively.All six anvils are housed within a 250-ton hydraulic press and driven inward simultaneously by two wedged guide blocks.A horizontal energy dispersive X-ray beam is projected through and diffracted by the sample assembly.The beam is commonly in the mode of either white or monochromatic X-ray.In the case of white X-ray, the diffracted X-rays are detected by a solid-state detector array that collects the resulting energy dispersive diffraction pattern.In the case of monochromatic X-ray, the diffracted pattern is recorded using a two-dimensional (2-D) detector, such as an imaging plate or a charge-coupled device (CCD) detector.The 2-D diffraction patterns are analyzed to derive lattice spacings.The elastic strains of the sample are derived from the atomic lattice spacing within grains.The stress is then calculated using the predetermined elastic modulus and the elastic strain.Furthermore, the stress distribution in two-dimensions allow for understanding how stress is distributed in different orientations.In addition, a scintillator in the X-ray path yields a visible light image of the sample environment, which allows for the precise measurement of sample length changes during the experiment, yielding a direct measurement of volume strain on the sample.This type of experiment can quantify the stress distribution within geomaterials, which can ultimately shed light on the mechanism responsible for compaction.Such knowledge has the potential to significantly improve our understanding of key processes in rock mechanics, geotechnical engineering, mineral physics, and material science applications where compactive processes are important. Video LinkThe video component of this article can be found at https://www.jove.com/video/57555/ .The atomic lattice spacing is determined with the aid of X-radiation, commonly in either the mode of white or monochromatic X-ray.For the white X-ray mode (e.g., DDIA at 6BM-B beamline of the Advanced Photon Source (APS), Argonne National Laboratory), the intensity of the diffracted beam X-ray beam is determined by not just one, but by an array of 10-element Ge detectors (Figure 1) distributed along a fixed circle at azimuthal angles of 0Ā°, 22.5Ā°, 45Ā°, 67.5Ā°, 90Ā°, 112.5Ā°, 135Ā°, 157.5Ā°, 180Ā°, 270Ā°.For the monochromatic X-ray mode, the diffracted pattern is recorded using a CCD detector (e.g., DDIA-30 at 13-ID-D beamline of the GSECARS, APS, www.jove.com