PHYSICAL AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF ROCKS Flashcards
(18 cards)
is an aggregate of mineral
particles.
Rock material
- may be known as Index Properties
- it describes the rock material and helps in
classifying them
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
- may be known as Strength Properties
- they give information about the performance of
rock materials when subjected to a particular
loading system
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
− is the ratios of the density of solids to the density of solids to
the densiity of water.
− can tell us, based on its value, if the object will sink or float in
our reference substance
✓ Specific Gravity (G)
− also known as specific weight
− is one of the terms that, loosely speaking, describe and relate
size (volume), amount (mass),
− concentration (density), and force
(weight), as well as specific gravity.
Unit Weight (Y)
− is a measure of how
compact or heavy it is.
− varies and is often related to the rock’s
porosity
✓ Density
− are open spaces in the ground that are commonly
encountered as unforeseen ground conditions in engineering
geology.
− is the ratio of the volume of vids to the volume of
solids and is closely related with porosity
✓ Void Ratio
−tells how densely it is packed
− it is the proportion of non-solid material volume to total
material volume
− it is decreases with increasing age of the rock and the depth of
the rock
✓ Porosity
− how much water is in product
− influences physical properties of a substance, including weight,
density, viscosity, conductivity, etc.
− The weight of water in the voids divided by the weight of dry
solids in the rock sample is the ratio of moisture content.
✓ Moisture Content
− denotes the actual relationship
between the weight of moisture existing in a space and the
weight that would exist if the space were saturated.
− calculated by dividing the total volume of voids in the rock
sample by the volume of water in the void.
− The rock mass having higher porosity has higher degree of
saturation.
✓ Degree of Saturation
− This refers to a porous material’s ability to let liquid pass through its
pores.
− Porosity and permeability are related properties of any rock or loose
sediment, both related to the number, size, and connections of
openings in the rock.
✓ Permeability
− majority of rocks are dielectric, and measurements of dielectric
constants are used to interpret data.
Electrical Properties
The increase in temperature also makes rock weaker due to the
formation of cracks in the rock mass.
Thermal Properties
− The volume of a mass increases as a result of water suction or
prolonged contact with water.
− is more common in weaker rocks.
Swelling
− the properties of the elements of the rock mass are not
identical in all directions.
− Anisotropic material has a weakness in one direction only.
Sedimentary rocks, for example, have a high degree of
anisotropy.
✓ Anisotropy
− is the resistance to destruction.
− If rock is more durable, it means it will last for a longer period
when put into use.
− It depends upon the nature of environment against which the
rock is going to be used.
Durability
used to describe nature
of weathering.
Swelling index or slake durability test
