In-situ rock stress measurement from rock cores using the acoustic emission method and deformation rate analysis

In this study the possibilities of the acoustic emission (AE) technique and deformation rate analysis (DRA) were investigated to measure in situ rock stress. The rock cores were obtained from three vertically drilled exploratory boreholes from the surface and one borehole drilled from within an underground coal mine. The AE method was found to determine in situ rock stress with reasonable accuracy using AE signatures in repeated loadings of a rock core specimen. Based on the results of in situ stress estimation from the AE method, the time interval, up to seven years, did not strongly influence the previous stress determination using the AE method. Cored rock recollected the in situ stress condition reasonably well (within ±10%), when compared to the results from over coring and hydraulic fracturing technique. Also, there was significant correlation between overburden pressure and estimated vertical stress from the AE method.