Triaxial mechanical creep behavior of sandstone

Based on laboratory results of time-dependent mechanical behavior tests, we investigated short-term and mechanical creep behavior of sandstone, observed in conventional triaxial compression experiments at room temperature, using a servo-controlled rheology testing machine. Given our short-term experimental test results, we confirmed deviatoric creep stress levels of sandstone. Multiple deviatoric stress levels were applied in steps to each sample. Each deviatoric stress level before the final failed deviatoric stress was maintained for 48 h or longer. Time-dependent variations of axial strains of sandstone samples are discussed and evaluated. During the creep tests, complete tertiary creep curves of sandstone were observed under failed deviatoric stress levels with different confining pressures. Slices of coal in sandstone samples can lead to distinct tertiary creep deformation failure.