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Relationship between durability index and uniaxial compressive strength of a gneissic rock at different weathering grades

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Abstract

This article presents a study on durability index obtained in the slake durability test (SDT) and the uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) of a gneissic rock from the Nova Venécia Complex, southeastern Brazil. The gneissic rock mass, excavated for a railway tunnel without a lining, has presented problems of instability of blocks due to a long-term exposure to weathering. The characterization of the gneissic rock matrix was made tactile and visual and by means of microscopical petrography, combining the tests of physical properties, SDT, and UCS with weathering indexes. The importance of describing the heterogeneity of the gneissic rock to interpret its influence on geotechnical parameters is discussed deeply. The interpretation of the results indicates that the rock studied has one facies with greater susceptibility to weathering, loss of strength, and durability. This study also proposes an equation to access the alterability parameter, recently added in the 2014 update of the rock mass rating (RMR), which may be overvalued to crystalline rocks, as observed in the analysis.

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Acknowledgments

We thank the journal reviewers for the comments which helped to improve the paper.

Funding

We thank CNPq (National Council for Scientific and Technological Development) for the scholarship and the Engineering School of the University of São Paulo and the Department of Geotechnics of the Engineering School of São Carlos, which made the development of this research possible.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate Program of Civil Engineering, Structural and Geotechnical Engineering Department (PPGEC), Engineering School, University of São Paulo (EPUSP), Av. Prof. Luciano Gualberto, travessa 3, n 380, São Paulo, SP, 05508-010, Brazil

    João P. Monticelli & Marcos Futai

  2. Engineering School of São Carlos, Department of Geotechnical Engineering, USP, Av. Trabalhador São Carlense, n 400, São Carlos, SP, 13566-590, Brazil

    Rogério Ribeiro

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  1. João P. Monticelli
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  2. Rogério Ribeiro
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  3. Marcos Futai
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Correspondence to João P. Monticelli.

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Monticelli, J.P., Ribeiro, R. & Futai, M. Relationship between durability index and uniaxial compressive strength of a gneissic rock at different weathering grades. Bull Eng Geol Environ 79, 1381–1397 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-019-01625-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-019-01625-9

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