Menu
Home
People
Places
Arts
History
Plants & Animals
Science
Life & Culture
Technology
Reference.org
Tilt test (geotechnical engineering)
open-in-new
<p>In geomechanics, a tilt test is a simple test to estimate the <a href="/facts/Shear_strength_(discontinuity)/J8XYa3Tj">shear strength</a> parameters of a <a href="/facts/Discontinuity_(geotechnical_engineering)/rdG68UVf">discontinuity</a>. Two pieces of rock containing a discontinuity are held in hand or mounted in test equipment with the discontinuity horizontal. The sample is slowly tilted until the top block moves. The angle with the horizontal at onset of movement is called the <i>tilt-angle</i>. </p><p>The size of the specimen is limited to 10–20 cm for hand-held tests, while machine-operated tilt test equipment may handle up to meter-sized samples. In the field, the angle can be determined most easily with an <a href="/facts/Inclinometer/NB4nFvg5">inclinometer</a> as present in most <a href="/facts/Compass/86MaeFXu">geological or structural compasses</a>. </p>