Petrophysical and mechanical properties of the Struganik limestone (Vardar zone, Western Serbia)

Abstract

The Struganik limestone has been increasingly popular in recent years for interior and exterior building applications, due to easy workability, low cost and multi purpose suitability. The quality of limestone is determined by its mineralogical and textural characteristics and physico-mechanical properties. The Struganik stone corresponds to marl, clayey limestone and limestone (micritic and allochemical). The limestone is commonly layered, either thinly bedded or banked. Chert concretions are present in all varieties. The Upper and the Lower Campanian age were deduced by the abundant foraminifers. Micrite limestone is an autochthonous rock generated in a deep marine environment, whereas allochemical limestone is related to a shallow marine environment but subsequently brought into a deep-water system. The mass quality of the Struganik limestone is controlled by variability of lithology and layering. The values of physico-mechanical properties, such as density, porosity, water absorption and strength, were statistically analyzed and the obtained data were used to assess the rock quality in the quarry. The relationship among the quantified properties is described by regression analyses and the equations of the best-fit line. The Struganik limestone was qualified by its petrological and engineering properties coupled with statistical analysis. It satisfies the majority of the requirements of the Main National Standard as a decorative stone, but with a limiting factor regarding abrasive resistance

Multiscale Laboratory Study and Numerical Analysis of Water‐Weakening Effect on Shale

“…Vásárhelyi [11] reported a 74% reduction in uniaxial compressive strength of the Miocene limestone and 53% reduction in modulus due to saturation. Similarly, Rajabzadeh et al [12] and Gajic et al [13] reported a 70% and 10% reduction in uniaxial compressive strength of carbonate rocks and limestones due to saturation, respectively. Mann and Fatt [14] conducted a series of compression tests on sandstones and found that modulus could be reduced by 6∼19% for the saturated samples.…”

Water effects on rock strength and stiffness degradation

“…Massive travertine with less porosity has a higher UCS, while more porous laminated travertine has a lower UCS. Studying the petrophysical and mechanical properties of Struganik limestone, Gajic et al [20] reported a 10 % decrease in UCS due to saturation. They also noted that the UCS reduction in Struganik limestone was only 5 % after 25 freeze-thaw cycles.…”

Evaluation of mechanical weakening of calcarenite building stones due to environmental relative humidity using the vapour equilibrium technique

“…Apart of the reduction of the durability associated with water transport inside the microstructure due to the abovementioned weathering processes, the mechanical parameters of porous building stones are frequently subjected to important variations depending on their water content (Wong, Maruvanchery, & Liu, 2016). In this connection, several researches have shown that water saturation of rock materials can cause significant decreases of some of their most important mechanical properties such as unconfined compressive strength (UCS) or static Young´s modulus (E st ) (Erguler & Ulusay, 2009;Gajic, Matovic, Vasic, & Sreckovic-Batocanin, 2011;Hawkins & McConnell, 1992;Karakul & Ulusay, 2013;Lin, Jeng, Tsai, & Huang, 2005;Rabat, Cano, Tomás, Tamayo, & Alejano, 2020;Shakoor & Barefield, 2009;Török & Vásárhelyi, 2010;Vásárhelyi, 2005;Verstrynge, Adriaens, Elsen, & Van Balen, 2014). Furthermore, it has been recently observed that other mechanical parameters like Brazilian Tensile Strength (BTS), Point Load Strength Index (I s(50) ), shear strength parameters (cohesion and internal friction angle) or dynamics properties are also significantly reduced when the effective pore network of geomaterials is completely filled of water (Gholami & Rasouli, 2014;Kahraman, 2014;Karakul & Ulusay, 2013;D.…”