| Abstract: | Material strength is an important variable for any study of the relationships between rock mass geomechanical characteristics and landform development. Standard field and laboratory tests for measuring strength present a variety of problems to the geomorphologist. Recent studies (Allison, 1988) have described a laboratory based non-destructive method for indirectly determining material strength, by measuring Dynamic Young's Modulus. Data presented here suggest that the same apparatus can be used as a field technique. Tests have been conducted on the Devonian limestone of the Napier Range, Western Australia. Laboratory results obtained using the non-destructive ultrasonic apparatus have a high correlation with triaxial Hoek Cell tests. Results from on-site tests have much greater accuracy than data collected using the Schmidt hammer, which is currently the most widely used geomorphological field technique for determining rock strength. |
