Disclosed is a method and apparatus for measuring in-situ stress in rock using a thermal crack. The method involves forming a borehole, cooling a wall of the borehole, applying tensile thermal stress, forming a crack in the borehole wall, and measuring temperature and cracking point. Afterwards, the borehole wall is heated to close the formed crack, the borehole wall is cooled again to re-open the crack, and temperature is measured when the crack is re-opened. The in-situ stress of the rock is calculated using a first cracking temperature at which the crack is formed and a second cracking temperature at which the crack is re-opened. Further, the apparatus cools, heats and re-cools the borehole wall, thereby measuring the first cracking temperature, the second cracking temperature, and the cracking point.

 
Web www.patentalert.com

< Navigation Device with Automatic Gps Precision Enhancement

> Acoustic structural integrity monitoring system and method

> Miniaturized smart self-calibration electronic pointing method and system

~ 00502