Physical, mechanical and hydraulic properties of Inada granite and Shirahama sandstone in Japan

Laboratory testing of representative rock specimens is of fundamental necessity for the successful design and/or assessment of facilities associated with many kinds of underground exploitation, including the geological disposal of radioactive nuclear waste. As a fundamental and systematic study, a series of measurements of the physical, mechanical and hydraulic properties of Inada granite and Shirahama sandstone, two rock types that are widely available in Japan, have been performed. This paper presents the results of a study of the effective porosity, density, compressive and shear wave velocity, unconfined compressive strength and permeability of the two rocks. The anisotropy and the effects of confining pressure on the permeability of the rocks, as well as the relationships among the physical, mechanical and hydraulic properties, are also investigated and discussed.