Rock Engineering and Rock Mechanics: Structures in and on

Rock Masses Alejano, Perucho, Olalla & Jimnez (Eds)

2014 Taylor & Francis Group, London, 978-1-138-00149-7

Development of testing methods of Thin Spray-on Liner

shear-bond strength

Q.Q. Qiao, J. Nemcik, I. Porter, E. Baafi, Z.Y. Zhang & Z.J. Shan
School of Civil, Mining and Environmental Engineering, Faulty of Engineering and Information Sciences,
University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia

ABSTRACT: A fibre reinforced polymeric thin spray-on liner (TSL) has been under development to substitute
traditional steel mesh to control skin surface in underground excavations. Its application can largely reduce the
labor intensity and significantly increase the mining advance rate. In order to better evaluate the shear-bond
strength of polymer liner and thereby assess its geotechnical function in strata skin reinforcement, three shear
bond testing procedures were trialed. The aim of the tests was to evaluate pure shear bond strength of TSL to the
various strata types without the effect of normal stress and to choose the most appropriate test for future routine
testing. The first test method utilized the standard double shear testing procedure using three rock cubes of the
40 mm side bonded together with 5 mm thick polymer layer. The second test method included a polymer ring
5 mm thick and 15 mm wide coated on the periphery of each cored sample. The polymer ring was then sheared
off each rock core with a steel sleeve and shear bond strength determined. The third test method was identical to
the second one except that the polymer ring was partitioned into three segments to eliminate the effect of normal
stress onto the substrate. The results show that to obtain the expected shear bond from the double-sided shear
testing method was difficult due to the bending of the sample. The second test method was not accurate as the
polymer shrinkage during curing time induced the normal stress onto the substrate and therefore increased the
measured shear bond values. The results from the third test method indicate that the resin shrinkage did not affect
the shear bond values significantly as the shrinkage problem was minimised by leaving three gaps between the
adjacent polymer segments. The third test method was considered to be the best testing approach.

1 INTRODUCTION et al. 2008; Mason and Stacey 2008; Lukey 2008;

As a new means of strata skin support component, thin
spray-on liners (TSLs) are becoming increasingly pop-
ular around the world. The TSL under development at
the University of Wollongong is a polymer based liner
which is sprayed onto the rock surface to support the
excavations. As a fast setting support system the thin
spray-on liner can immediately support the excava-
tions once applied onto the rock substrate. The first
TSL trials were initiated in Canada in the late 1980s
(Archibald et al. 1992). However, there were many
issues need to be taken into account such as health
and safety, quality control and the long term perfor-
mance before the application of the TSL products in
mines (Hadjigeorgious and Grenon 2002). Although
more than ten years have passed, only now most of
these concerns have been solved.
The main purpose of the strata reinforcement in
underground excavations is to make the rock mass
support itself. In a non-reinforced system, it will be
difficult to sustain the dead weight of rock if the rock
mass is loosened (Hoek and Brown 1980). To date,
the behaviour of TSLs have already been researched
and investigated by many researchers (Tannant 2001;
Tannant and Wang 2002; Yilmaz 2007, 2012; Fowkes
Dirige andArchibald 2009; Mason andAbelman 2009;
Ozturk 2011, 2012). A lot of testing methods and
experimental results were published (Tannant et al.
1999; Espley et al.2001; Archibald 2004; Yimaz 2007;
Ozturk and Tannant 2010, 2011; Nemcik 2008, 2009,
2011, 2012, 2013). The TSL strength and ability to
bond to various substrates enable formation of the
composite skin layer that significantly improves TSL
reinforcing capabilities of the immediate strata sur-
face. In addition, penetration of TSL into the fractures
and joints during application can bond the fractured
rock pieces together and keep the fragments in place
increasing the self-supporting capacity of severely
fractured strata. Without the bond strength, the TSL
performance is reduced. Therefore, the bond strength
of the TSL is a very important property in supporting
the underground excavations.
The bond strength comprises of the shear-bond
strength and tensile-bond strength. The tensile-bond
strength test using steel dolly pull-off test (Tannant
et al. 1999 and 2003; Archibald 2001; Lewis 2001;
Ozturk 2003, 2010 and 2011; Yilmaz 2009) has
received the common acceptance by the researchers
and manufacturers. However, research on the shear-
bond strength is limited and there is currently no

125
 Figure 2. Direct double sided shear test sample
preparation.

Figure 1. In situ mechanism of TSL crack penetration

relevant to shear-bond strength testing (after Yilmaz, 2007).

standard testing method for investigating the shear-

bond strength.
In this paper, three testing methods of determin-
ing the shear-bond strength for TSL materials were
compared.

2 MECHANISM OF SHEAR-BOND STRENGTH

In underground coal mines, the joints or fractures are

ubiquitous. When the TSL is sprayed onto the rock
surface, it is possible for sprayed liner to penetrate
into the fractures and cracks within the rock. Stacey
(2001) described a series of mechanisms of loading
behaviour and surface support behaviour of thin spray-
on liners and proposed the theory promotion of block
interlock which is related to the shear-bond strength
between the TSL and rock surface. The aim of this Figure 3. Double-sided shear test setup.
mechanism is mainly to keep the rock mass in a sta-
ble and unloosened condition. Based on the support authors and utilized the standard double sided shear
mechanism of Stacey (2001, 2004), Yilmaz (2007) testing procedure using three rock cubes of the 40 mm
tested the in situ loading mechanism of TSL rele- side bonded together with 5 mm thick polymer layer.
vant to shear-bond strength as shown in Figure 1. The
shear-bond strength between the TSL and the rock sur-
face can promote the block interlock which can keep 3.1 Sample preparation and test procedure
the broken blocks in place and minimise block rota- The testing samples were made from three rock cubes
tion caused by the shear. Subsequently, Stacey and Yu of 40 mm side bonded together with 5 mm thick poly-
(2004) determined the effect of various factors on the mer layer. A steel mould was used to prepare the
support capacity of TSL using the method of finite samples as shown in Figure 2. The testing procedure
element stress analysis and demonstrated that the sup- involved clamping the two outer blocks while the load
port mechanism of TSL penetrating into the joints and was applied onto the central block, as demonstrated
fractures within the rock mass plays an important role in Figure 3. The TSL material was applied to the dry
in the supporting system. rock and coal surfaces. During the test, the load and
displacements were recorded.
3 DOUBLE-SIDED SHEAR TEST
3.2 Analysis of test results
Double-sided shear strength test was developed to
investigate the pure shear strength of a TSL material by Excellent adhesion to the rock surfaces has forced
Saydam et al. (2003). This test was performed by the the shear failure to propagate through the rock or

126
Figure 4. Some samples after failure.

coal rather than along the TSL surfaces. Therefore the

results did not give the TSL bonding shear strength but
only indicated the bonding values to be higher than
the shear strength of the intact rock. Some samples
failed on one side only causing the assembly to bend
and wedge (Figure 4). Closer examination showed that
the bolts within the steel assembly were bending in
response to the loads during testing. Figure 5 shows
the stress-displacement graphs of all the double-sided
shear tests. It can be seen from Figure 5 that the results
are inconclusive. There were several peak strength
points with a large scatter between the tests and the
test results were difficult to interpret.

4 FULL TSL RING SHEAR TEST

To eliminate the effect of bending experienced in the Figure 5. Stress-displacement graphs of Double-sided shear
double shear test, the full TSL ring shear test method tests.
was developed by modifying the test performed by
Yilmaz, (2007). The test preparation is depicted in
Figure 7.

4.1 Sample preparation and test procedure

The test included a polymer ring 5 mm thick and
15 mm wide bonded on the periphery of the cylindrical
rock/coal sample. A greased Perspex mould was used
to pour the polymer ring, as shown in Figure 6.
The polymer ring was then sheared off each rock
core with a 5 mm thick steel sleeve and shear bond
strength determined. The spherical seat was used to
ensure evenly distributed contact between the TSL ring
and the steel cylinder. The testing procedure is shown
in Figure 7.

4.2 Analysis of test results

Figure 8 shows the stress-displacement graphs of all
the TSL ring shear tests. Although these tests were
more consistent in was realised that the test results
was greatly affected by tension within the polymer
band that broke the TSL rings as shown in Figure 9.
Figure 6. Sample preparation.
The tension within the TSL rings applied a normal
stress to the bond interface and therefore would have
increased the measured shear stress. The tension was
mainly caused by the resin shrinkage during the curing

127

Figure 7. Full TSL ring test procedure.
Figure 8. Stress-displacement graphs of full ring shear tests.
Figure 9. Some TSL ring shear tests samples after failure.
process and partly due to the Poissons ratio effect dur-
ing loading. The results were again inconclusive as the
pure shear bonding characteristics without the effect
on the normal stress are required. Therefore, the full
128
Figure 10. Sample preparation and test setup.
ring testing method is not suitable to determine the
shear adhesion of polymer because the failure mode
was complicated and difficult to interpret.
5 DISCONTINUOUS RING SHEAR TEST
The discontinuous ring shear test method was designed
to overcome the shrinkage and tension problems of full
ring shear test.
5.1 Test procedure
This test was identical to the full ring test except that
the polymer ring was partitioned into three segments
to minimise the effect of normal stress onto the sub-
strate. In the process of casting TSL ring, three pieces
of rubber were used to separate the polymer segments.
Once completed and cured, the samples were tested.
The testing procedure was the same as used for the
TSL full ring tests. Figure 10 shows the casted sample
inside the mould and the test setup.
5.2 Analysis of test results
Figure 11 shows the stress-displacement graphs of
all the discontinuous ring shear tests. Before analysing
the results an important consideration has to be made:
the shear failure plane must be carefully examined to
establish whether the failure occurred through the rock
or the rock-TSL interface. The coal sample test 3 was
not included in the results due to the shear failure prop-
agating through the coal. As previously discussed, it
must be noted that there are two sides of the polymer
ring, the top and the bottom with the bottom section
being precise and smooth, suitable to be evenly loaded
with assistance of the spherical seat. This will enable
even load distribution on all ring segments. It is there-
fore accepted that each ring segment carries the same
load prior to failure.
The results shown in Figure 11 indicate that there
may be several load peaks that occurred during each
test. This indicates that during the first peak one of
the segments has failed. Since the load on all seg-
ments at this time was equal, it is probable that the first

Figure 11. Stress-displacement graphs of discontinuous
ring shear tests.
Figure 12. Some TSL discontinuous ring shear tests sam-
ples after failure.
peak value indicates the true minimum shear bond
value at the segment which failed. The shear bond was
greater at the remaining segments and may be diffi-
cult to analyse, as the sample could tilt or be unevenly
loaded. However, the first peak can be used to evaluate
the minimum shear bond for each test.
The coal sample tests 1 and 2 indicate the minimum
shear load of 1.2 MPa and 1.9 MPa respectively. The
tests show that the polymer sheared along the coal-TSL
interface while it sheared through the sandstone rock
at close proximity to the bonded surface. Despite this,
it is reasonable to assume that the shear strength of
the hard sandstone rock-polymer interface would be
greater than the load measured during the first peak
shown in Figure 11. In this case the shear bond was
greater than 1.7 MPa for sample one and 1.5 MPa for
sample two.
129
6 CONCLUSIONS
The aim of the study was to compare three different
testing methods to determining the shear bond strength
of TSL materials and chose the most appropriate one.
The double-sided shear test can simulate the effect of
TSL fracture penetration and reinforcement, however,
if not properly secured the failure of this test can be
caused by tension rather than shear due to the bending
during the test. The full ring shear test can eliminate
the effect of bending. However, it could cause normal
stress induced by shrinkage around the rock surface,
affecting the shear-bond strength between the inter-
face of rock core and the TSL. The discontinuous
ring shear results indicate that the testing procedure
enable even loading of all TSL segments until failure
of the first segment. This is considered acceptable to
measure the minimum shear bond value. This test min-
imised the TSL problems associated with the normal
stress to the shear interface experienced in the other
test methods by leaving three gaps between the adja-
cent polymer segments. This test appears to be the best
out of the three methods.
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