Abstract
The geomechanical strength of rockmass plays a key role in planning and design of mining and civil construction projects. Determination of geomechanical properties in the field as well as laboratory is time consuming, tedious and a costly affair. In this study, density, slake durability index, uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) and P-wave velocity tests were conducted on four igneous, six sedimentary and three metamorphic rock varieties. These properties are crucial and used extensively in geotechnical engineering to understand the stability of the structures. The main aim of this study is to determine the various mechanical properties of 13 different rock types in the laboratory and establish a possible and acceptable correlation with P-wave velocity which can be determined in the field as well as laboratory with ease and accuracy. Empirical equations were developed to calculate the density, slake durability index and UCS from P-wave velocities. Strong correlations among P-wave velocity with the physical properties of different rock were established. The relations mainly follow a linear trend. Student’s ‘t’ test and ‘F’ test were performed to ensure proper analysis and validation of the proposed correlations. These correlations can save time and reduce cost during design and planning process as they represent a reliable engineering tool.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Cetin H, Laman M, Ertune A (2000) Settlement and slaking problems in the world’s fourth largest rock-fill dam, the Ataturk Dam in Turkey. Eng Geol 56(3–4):225–242
Çobanoğlu I, Çelik SB (2008) Estimation of uniaxial compressive strength from point load strength, Schmidt hardness and P-wave velocity. Bull Eng Geol Environ 67:491–498
Crosta G (1998) Slake durability vs. ultrasonic treatment for rock durability determination. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 35(6):815–824
D’Andrea DV, Fischer RL, Fogelson DE (1965) Prediction of compressive strength from other rock properties. US Bureau of Mines Report of Investigations 6702
Deere DU, Miller RP (1966) Engineering classification and index properties for intact rock. Air Force Weapons Lab. Technical Report, AFWL-TR 65–116, Kirtland Base, New Mexico
Dhakal G, Yoneda T, Kato M, Kaneko K (2002) Slake durability and mineralogical properties of some pyroclastic and sedimentary rocks. Eng Geol 65:31–45
Dick JA, Shakoor A (1995) Characterizing durability of mud rocks for slope stability purposes. Geol Soc Am Rev Eng Geol 10:121–130
Fang Z, Harrison JP (2001) A mechanical degradation index for rock. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 38(8):1193–1199
Franklin JA, Chandra A (1972) The slake durability test. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 9:325–341
Fuertes AM (2008) Sieve bootstrap t-tests on long-run average parameters. Comp Stat Data Anal 52(7):3354–3370
Gardner GHF, Gardner LW, Gregory AR (1974) Formation velocity and density: the diagnostic basis for stratigraphy. Geophysics 39:770–780
Gaviglio P (1989) Longitudinal wave propagation in a limestone: the relationship between velocity and density. Rock Mech Rock Eng 22:299–306
Gladwin MT (1982) Ultrasonic stress monitoring in underground mining. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 19:221–228
Gokceoglu C, Ulusay R, Sonmez H (2000) Factor affecting the durability of selected weak and clay bearing rocks from Turkey, with particular emphasis on the influence of the number of drying and wetting cycles. Eng Geol 57:215–237
Gupta V, Ahmed I (2007) The effect of pH of water and mineralogical properties on the slake durability (degradability) of different rocks from the Lesser Himalaya, India. Eng Geol 95:79–87
Hudson JA, Jones EJW, New BM (1980) P-wave velocity measurements in a machine bored chalk tunnel. Q J Eng Geol 13:33–43
Inoue M, Ohomi M (1981) Relation between uniaxial compressive strength and elastic wave velocity of soft rock. In: Proceedings of the international symposium on weak rock, Tokyo, pp 9–13
ISRM (1978) Commission on standardization of laboratory and field tests, suggested methods for determining sound velocity. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci Geomech Abstr 15:53–58
ISRM (1979) Suggested methods for determining water content, porosity, density, absorption and related properties and swelling and slake durability index properties. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci Geomech Abstr 16:141–156
ISRM (1981) ISRM Suggested methods—rock characterization testing & monitoring. Pergamon Press, Oxford, pp 113–116
Johnson RB, DeGraff JV (1988) Principles of engineering geology. Wiley, New York, p 497
Kahraman S (2001) Evaluation of simple methods for assessing the uniaxial compressive strength of rock. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 38:981–994
Kahraman S, Yeken T (2008) Determination of physical properties of carbonate rocks from P-wave velocity. Bull Eng Geol Environ 67:277–281
Knill JL (1970) The application of seismic methods in the interpretation of grout takes in rock. In: Proceedings of the conference on in situ investigation in soils and rocks, no. 8. British Geotech Soc, pp 93–100
Koncagul EC, Santi PM (1999) Predicting the unconfined compressive strength of the Breathitt shale using slake durability, shore hardness and rock structural properties. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 36(2):139–153
Lama RD, Vutukuri VS, Saluja SS (1978) Handbook on mechanical properties of rocks, 2nd edn. Trans Tech Publications, Germany
Oguchi CT, Matsukura Y (1999) Effect of porosity on the increase in weathering-rind thickness of andesite gravel. Eng Geol 55(1–2):77–89
Onodera TF (1963) Dynamic investigation of foundation rocks, in situ. In: Proceedings of the fifth symposium on rock mech, Minnesota. Pergamon Press, New York, pp 517–533
Oyama T, Chigira M (1999) Weathering rate of mudstone and tuff on old unlined tunnel walls. Eng Geol 5(1–2):15–27
Phienwej N, Singh VK (2005) Engineering properties of rocks of Phu Kadung and Phra Wihan formations in Northeast Thailand. In: Proceedings of the international symposium-GEOINDO, Thailand, pp 199–204
Price DG, Malone AW, Knill JL (1970) The application of seismic methods in the design of a rock bolt system. In: Proceedings of the first international congress, Int Assoc Eng Geol, vol 2, pp. 740–752
Rigol A, Mateu J, Gonzalez-Nunez R, Rauret G, Vidal M (2008) pH (stat) vs. single extraction tests to evaluate heavy metals and arsenic leachability in environmental samples. Anal Chim Acta 632(1):69–79
Rintrawilai S, Walsri C, Fuenkajorn K (2011) Large-scaled slake durability index testing. In: Fuenkajorn K, Phien-wej N (eds) Rock mechanics, pp 239–245
Rodrigues JG (1991) Physical characterization and assessment of rock durability through index properties. NATO ASI Ser E Appl Sci 200:7–34
Saito T, Mamoru ABE, Kundri S (1974) Study on weathering of igneous rocks. Rock Mech Jpn 2:28–30
Sarkar K, Singh TN (2008) Slope stability study of himalayan rock—a numerical approach. Int J Earth Sci Eng 1:7–16
Sharma PK, Singh TN (2008) A correlation between P-wave velocity, impact strength index, slake durability index and uniaxial compressive strength. Bull Eng Geol Environ 67:17–22
Sharma PK, Khandelwal M, Singh TN (2011) A correlation between Schmidt hammer rebound numbers with impact strength index, slake durability index and P-wave velocity. Int J Earth Sci 100:189–195
Singh TN, Kanchan R, Saigal K, Verma AK (2004) Prediction of P-wave velocity and anisotropic properties of rock using artificial neural networks technique, J Sci Ind Res, CSIR Publication 63(1):32–38
Singh TN, Verma AK, Singh V, Sahu A (2005) Slake durability study of shaly rock and its predictions. Environ Geol 47:246–253
Singh TN, Sharma PK, Khandelwal M (2006) Effect of pH on the physico—mechanical properties of marble. Bull Eng Geol Environ 66(1):81–87
Singh TN, Pradhan SP, Vishal V (2011) Stability of slopes in a fire-prone mine in Jharia Coalfield, India. Arab J Geosc. doi: 10.1007/s12517-011-0341-4
Tugrul A (2004) The effect of weathering on pore geometry and compressive strength of selected rock types from Turkey. Eng Geol 75(3–4):215–227
Verma AK, Singh TN (2010) Assessment of tunnel instability—a numerical approach. Int J Arab Geosci 3(2):181–192
Vishal V, Pradhan SP, Singh TN (2010) Instability Assessment of mine slope- a finite element approach. Int J Earth Sci Eng 3:11–23
Vishal V, Pradhan SP, Singh TN (2011) Tensile strength of rock under elevated temperature. Geotech Geol Eng 29:1127–1133
Yasar E, Erdogan Y (2004) Correlating sound velocity with the density, compressive strength and Young’s modulus of carbonate rocks. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 41:871–875
Youash Y (1970) Dynamic physical properties of rocks: part 2, experimental result. In: Proceeding second cong int soc rock mech, vol 1. Belgrade, pp. 185–195
Young RP, Hill TT, Bryan IR, Middleton R (1985) Seismic spectroscopy in fracture characterization. Q J Eng Geol 18:459–479
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Sarkar, K., Vishal, V. & Singh, T.N. An Empirical Correlation of Index Geomechanical Parameters with the Compressional Wave Velocity. Geotech Geol Eng 30, 469–479 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-011-9481-2
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-011-9481-2