As part of a study of the mechanics of simulated fault gouge, deformation of Kayenta Sandstone (24% initial porosity) was observed in triaxial stress tests through several stress cycles. Between 50- and 300-MPa effective pressure the specimens deformed stably without stress drops and with deformation occurring throughout the sample. At 400-MPa effective pressure the specimens underwent strain softening with the deformation occurring along one plane. However, the differences in behavior seems to be due to the density variation at different pressures rather than to the difference in pressure. After peak stress was reached in each cycle, the samples dilated such that the volumetric strain and the linear strain maintained a constant ratio (approximately 0.1) at all pressures. The behavior was independent of the number of stress cycles to linear strains up to 90% and was in general agreement with laws of soil behavior derived from experiments conducted at low pressure (below 5 MPa). |