Experimental Study of Short-Term Creep Characteristics Base on Step Loading-Unloading Method for Hard Rock

Based on experimental results of uniaxial compression and short-term creep using 8-step loading-unloading method, fine sandstone specimen, which lower creep limit is 27MPa, present typical brittle breakage properties of hard rock. The correlative coefficients of linear regression function for isochronous stress-strain curve are all higher than 0. 92, and the ratio of long-term strength to instantaneous strength reaches 94. 39%，which indicate that the whole creep of fine sandstone specimen is weak. The average correlative coefficients of linear regression function for isochronous stress- axial strain curve are 3. 92% higher than that of average correlative coefficients of linear regression function for isochronous stress- radial strain curve, so nonlinear creep property of the fine sandstone specimen in axial direction is correspondingly weaker than that in radial direction. Negative Gauss distribution can be applied collectively to nonlinear creep of fine sandstone specimen, which has obvious time effect.With increasing loading, the reduction degrees of average correlative coefficients of linear fitting functions of isochronous stress-axial strain curve and isochronous stress-radial strain curve are 0. 97% and 0. 67% respectively, which indicates the linear correlation decreases commonly. Thus, the degree of nonlinear creep for fine sandstone specimen increases along with loading stress with obvious stress effect.