Relation between microstructure and physical and engineering properties of sandstones with emphasis on quartz content

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

1 Civil Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, University of Zanjan

2 Department of Civil Engineering, University of Zanjan, Zanjan, Iran

3 Assistant Professor, Department of Geology, University of Zanjan, Zanjan, Iran

Abstract

The composition, texture and microstructure of rocks affect their physical and mechanical properties such as dry unit weight, porosity, p-wave velocity and Brazilian tensile strength. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of mineralogy sandstone characteristics on physical and mechanical properties of sandstone in three groups with low mean quartz (less than 65%), moderate (65 to 80%) and high (more than 80% ) and 26 samples were collected from southern province of Zanjan city Then, a comprehensive program of rock mechanic tests are planned and mineralogical properties and engineering parameters such as dry unit weight, porosity, P-wave velocity and Brazilian tensile strength were determined and their relationship was investigated using linear regression analysis. The results show that the mineral composition is effective on the strength properties and increasing the quartz mineral content in the samples, two physical parameters of dry unit weight and P-wave velocity and a mechanical parameter Brazilian tensile strength increase. Also, due to the correlation between physical parameters, P-wave velocity can be predicted with appropriate approximation using porosity parameter for sandstone in studied regions and the results can be used in geomechanical studies.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

[1]R. Přikryl, Some microstructural aspects of strength variation in rocks, International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences, 38(5) (2001) 671-682.
[2]I. Yilmaz, G. Yuksek, Prediction of the strength and elasticity modulus of gypsum using multiple regression, ANN, and ANFIS models, International journal of rock mechanics and mining sciences (1997), 46(4) (2009) 803810.
[3]D. Little, J. Button, P. Jayawickrama, M. Solaimanian, B. Hudson, Quantify shape, angularity and surface texture of aggregates using image analysis and study their effect on performance, Rep. No. 0-1707, 4. (2003)
[4]C. Ozturk, E. Nasuf, S. Kahraman, Estimation of rock strength from quantitative assessment of rock texture, Journal of the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, 114(6) (2014) 471-480.
[5]H. Williams, F.J. Turner, C.M. Gilbert, Petrography: An introduction to the study of rocks in thin section, 1982.
[6]A. Ersoy, M. Waller, Textural characterisation of rocks, Engineering geology, 39(3-4) (1995)
[7]W.F. Brace, Dependence of fracture strength of rocks on grain size, in:  The 4th US Symposium on Rock Mechanics (USRMS), American Rock Mechanics Association, (1961).
[8]N. Yusof, H. Zabidi, Correlation of mineralogical and textural characteristics with engineering properties of granitic rock from Hulu Langat, Selangor, Procedia Chemistry, 19 (2016) 975-980.
[9]F.M. Mendes, L. Aires-Barros, F.P. Rodrigues, The use of modal analysis in the mechanical characterization of rock masses, in:  1st ISRM Congress, International Society for Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering, (1966).
[10]R. Willard, J. McWilliams, Microstructural techniques in the study of physical properties of rock, in:  International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences & Geomechanics Abstracts, Elsevier, (1969), pp. 1-12.
[11]R. Merriam, H.H. Rieke III, Y.C. Kim, Tensile strength related to mineralogy and texture of some granitic rocks, Engineering Geology, 4(2) (1970) 155-160.
[12]R.H.H. Hugman, M. Friedman, Effects of texture and composition on mechanical behavior of experimentally deformed carbonate rocks, AAPG Bulletin, 63(9) (1979) 1478-1489.
[13]T. Onodera, H. Asoka Kumara, Relation between texture and mechanical properties of crystalline rocks: Bulletin of the International Association for Engineering Geology, v. 22. (1980)
[14]A. Tuğrul, I. Zarif, Correlation of mineralogical and textural characteristics with engineering properties of selected granitic rocks from Turkey, Engineering geology, 51(4) (1999)
[15]K. Zorlu, C. Gokceoglu, F. Ocakoglu, H. Nefeslioglu, S. Acikalin, Prediction of uniaxial compressive strength of sandstones using petrography-based models, Engineering Geology, 96(3-4) (2008) 141-158.
[16]K. Zorlu, R. Ulusay, F. Ocakoglu, C. Gokceoglu, H. Sonmez, Predicting intact rock properties of selected sandstones using petrographic thin-section data, International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences, 41 (2004) 93-98
[17]F. Bell, The physical and mechanical properties of the fell sandstones, Northumberland, England, Engineering Geology, 12 (1978) 1-29.
[18]R. Ulusay, K. Türeli, M. Ider, Prediction of engineering properties of a selected litharenite sandstone from its petrographic characteristics using correlation and multivariate statistical techniques, Engineering Geology, 38(1-2) (1994) 135-157.
[19]A. SHAKOOR, R.E. BONELLI, Relationship between petrographic characteristics, engineering index properties, and mechanical properties of selected sandstones, Bulletin of the Association of Engineering Geologists, 28(1) (1991)55-71 .
[20]A. Lakirouhani, F. Asemi, A. Zohdi, Relationship Between Grain Size and Physical Properties of Dolomites in Order to Geomechanics Study of Dolomite Reservoirs.(2018)
[21]A. Aghanabati, Geology organization and Mineral exploration of the country Geology of Iran,  (2004). (In Persian)
[22]M.A. Naieni, hodabavde-Soltanieh geological maps, scale 1:100000, Geology organization and Mineral exploration of the country,  (1993). (In Persian)
[23]A.S. A. Babackhani, Zanjan geological maps, scale 1:100000, Geology organization and Mineral exploration of the country,  (2004). (In Persian)
[24]U.R. ISRM, J. Hudson, The complete ISRM suggested methods for rock characterization, testing and monitoring: 2006-1974, Kozan, Ankara, (2007)
[25]B. Lavina, P. Dera, R.T. Downs, Modern X-ray diffraction methods in mineralogy and geosciences, Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry, 78(1) (2014) 1-31.
[26]R.V. Ingersoll, T.F. Bullard, R.L. Ford, J.P. Grimm, J.D. Pickle, S.W. Sares, The effect of grain size on detrital modes: a test of the Gazzi-Dickinson point-counting method, Journal of Sedimentary Research, 54(1) (1984) 103-116.
[27]R. Folk, Petrology of sedimentary rocks (pp. 26–27), Austin, Texas: Hemphill. (1980)
[28]R.E. Goodman, Introduction to rock mechanics, Wiley New York, (1989)
[29]A. Mahdiyar, D.J. Armaghani, A. Marto, M. Nilashi, S. Ismail, Rock tensile strength prediction using empirical and soft computing approaches, Bulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment, 78(6) (2019) 4519-4531.
[30]A. Fahimifar, H. Soroush, Rock Mechanics Tests; Theoretical aspects and standards, Vol. I, Laboratory tests, Amirkabir University of Technology, Publishing Center (Tafresh). (2011)
[31]D. Fourmaintraux, Characterization of rocks laboratory tests, La Mechanique des roches applique aux ouvrges du genie civil. Ecole Nationale des Pontset Chaussees, Paris. (1976)
[32]H. Liu, S. Kou, P.-A. Lindqvist, J.E. Lindqvist, U. Åkesson, Microscope rock texture characterization and simulation of rock aggregate properties, Sveriges Geologiska Undersökning, (2005).
[33]P. Singh, A. Tripathy, A. Kainthola, B. Mahanta, V. Singh, T. Singh, Indirect estimation of compressive and shear strength from simple index tests, Engineering with Computers, 33(1) (2017) 1-11.
[34]S. Yagiz, Assessment of brittleness using rock strength and density with punch penetration test, Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology, 24(1) (2009) 66-74. 
Amirkabir Journal of Civil Engineering
Volume 52, Issue 8
November 2020
Pages 2093-2108

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics