Aspects of testing tendon supports for strength, effective installation, and performance in different ground formation

Different methods and techniques are reported in testing several types of tendons including solid rebars and cable bolts to evaluate their strength and performances in various rock formations. Most reported studies are laboratory-based, enhanced occasionally with numerical studies. Moreover, some tests are also carried out in situ to verify test results obtained from laboratory studies. The laboratory strength studies involved both push and pull testing, single and double shear testing of solid rebar, fiberglass rods, and cable bolts using different grout types installed in composite mediums of varied strength. Several challenges are faced when undertaking these various tests. These challenges may contribute to inconsistencies in the test results caused by various parameters, which are recognized, and the findings of these studies are examined and reported. This paper highlights a range of factors that influence tendon system performance based solely on two decades of tendon research by the rock mechanics group of the School of Civil, Mining, Environmental and Architectural Engineering, the University of Wollongong to draw the attention of the researcher on the importance of these factors and their influence in the real installation environment.