Abstract
To study the relationship between engineering properties and petrographic characteristics, 20 rock samples were collected from Jurassic sandstones in the Hamedan region, western Iran. The specimens were tested to determine uniaxial compressive strength, point load strength index, tangent modulus, porosity, and dry and saturated unit weights. Samples were also subjected to petrographic examination, which included the observation of 11 parameters and modal analysis. Based on the results of a statistical analysis, polynomial prediction equations were developed to estimate physical and mechanical properties from petrographic characteristics. The results show that textural characteristics are more important than mineral compositions for predicting engineering characteristics. The packing density, packing proximity and grain shape are the petrographic properties that significantly affect the engineering properties of samples. Multivariate linear regression analysis was performed, employing four steps comprising various combinations of petrographic characteristics for each engineering parameter. The optimal equation, along with the relevant combination of petrographic characteristics for estimating the engineering properties of the rock samples is proposed.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bell FG (1978a) The physical and mechanical properties of the Fell Sandstones, Northumberland, England. Eng Geol 12:1–29
Bell FG (1978b) Petrographical factors relating to porosity and permeability in the Fell Sandstone. Q J Eng Geol 11(2):113–126
Bell FG, Lindsay P (1999) The petrographic and geomechanical properties of sandstones from the Newspaper Member of the Natal Group near Durban, South Africa. Eng Geol 53:57–81
Broch EM, Franklin JA (1972) The point load strength test. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 9:669–697
Deere DU, Miller RP (1966) Engineering classification and index properties for intact rock. U.S. Air Force Systems Command, Air Force Weapons Lab., Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexicom, Technical Report, AFWL-TR, pp 65–116
Howarth DF, Rowlands JC (1986) Development of an index to quantify rock texture for assessment of intact rock properties. Geotech Testing J 9:169–179
Hutchinson CS (1974) Laboratoary handbook of petrography techniques. Wiley, New York, p 527
International Society for Rock Mechanics (1981) Rock characterization, testing and monitoring, ISRM suggested methods. In: Brown ET (ed) Pergamon Press, Oxford, p 211
Kahn JS (1956) The analysis and distribution of the properties of packing in sand size sediments. J Geol 64:385–395
Kolmogorov AN (1933) On the empirical determination of a distribution function, vol 4, pp 83–91
Pettijohn FJ, Potter PE, Siever R (1987) Sand and sandstone. Springer, Berlin, p 306
Shakoor A, Bonelli RE (1991) Relationship between petrophysical characteristics, engineering index properties and mechanical properties of selected sandstones. Bull Assoc Eng Geol 28:55–71
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
Smirnov NV (1939) On the estimation of the discrepency between empirical curves of distribution for two independent samples. Bull Moscow 2:3–16
Ulusay R, Tureli K, Ider MH (1994) Prediction of engineering properties of a selected litharenite sandstone from its petrographic characteristics using correlation and multivariable statistical techniques. Eng Geol 37:135–157
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Heidari, M., Momeni, A.A., Rafiei, B. et al. Relationship Between Petrographic Characteristics and the Engineering Properties of Jurassic Sandstones, Hamedan, Iran. Rock Mech Rock Eng 46, 1091–1101 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-012-0333-z
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-012-0333-z