This study examined a method for approximating the transversely isotropic (TI) elastic mechanical properties and bedding plane orientations of randomly oriented rock cuttings. Microindentation testing was conducted on multiple rock cuttings with unknown bedding orientations to obtain their experimental indentation moduli. The measured indentation moduli were assumed to be functions of both the bedding orientations and the intrinsic TI mechanical properties of the rock cuttings. This assumption holds due to the anisotropic stress history and preferred horizontal alignment of the rock fabric along the bedding direction, as well as the presence of plate-like clay particles with intrinsic TI mechanical properties. An anisotropic contact mechanics solution was then utilized to predict both the TI elastic mechanical properties and bedding plane orientations of the cuttings using a constrained inverse algorithm that minimizes the error between the predicted indentation modulus (a function of both the predicted elastic constants and the orientation of the cuttings) and the experimental indentation modulus. Several constraints were imposed on the inverse algorithm to mathematically bound the TI stiffness matrix and optimization results. A Monte Carlo simulation was also incorporated into the inverse algorithm to consider the effects of uncertainties in the experimental results. The results obtained from the proposed indentation–inverse algorithm approach show good agreement with the results obtained using non-invasive ultrasonic pulse velocity measurements on a 2.5 cm cube sample.

这项研究检查了一种方法，用于近似随机取向的岩屑的横向各向同性（TI）弹性力学性能和层理面方向。对具有未知层理取向的多个岩屑进行微压痕测试，以获得其实验压痕模量。假定测得的压痕模量是层理方向和岩屑固有TI机械性能的函数。该假设成立的原因是各向异性应力历程和岩石织物沿顺层方向的首选水平排列，以及存在具有固有TI力学性能的板状粘土颗粒。然后使用各向异性逆力学算法，使用约束逆算法来预测钻屑的TI弹性力学性能和层理面方向，该算法将预测的压痕模量（预测的弹性常数和取向的函数）的误差最小化。钻屑）和实验压痕模量。在逆算法上施加了一些约束条件，以数学方式绑定TI刚度矩阵和优化结果。逆向算法中也采用了蒙特卡洛模拟，以考虑实验结果中不确定性的影响。