Measurement of in-situ stress in weak rocks at Mont Terri Rock Laboratory, Switzerland

In-situ stress measurements in weak rocks, such as clay shales, that respond strongly to environmental changes are particularly difficult. An extensive in-situ stress measurement program has been conducted at the Mont Terri Rock Laboratory in Northwestern Switzerland. Hydraulic fracturing, Undercoring around a 600-mm-diameter borehole using CSIRO triaxial strain cells and the Borehole Slotter were used to establish the state of stress for the Opalinus Clay at this location. Conflicting orientations and magnitudes resulted from the measurement programs. Three dimensional elastic modelling was used in conjunction with tunnel and borehole observations to establish the most likely stress tensor. A stress measurement program using a borehole deformation gauge is currently underway to check the stress tensor resulting from the observational modelling. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.