GEOTECHNICAL STUDY FOR NEW EGYPTIAN CAPITAL ROCKS

Abstract

A laboratory study was conducted to develop a database and models for predicting of unconfined compressive strength of rocks in the new administrative capital of Egypt. In this respect, the present study presents correlation equations between the unconfined compressive strength and some mechanical and physical properties of rocks. More than 249 of specimens are prepared and tested; the tests were conducted on four rock types, including basalt, limestone, sandstone, and siltstone. Based on results obtained from the following mechanical and physical tests that were performed on rock samples, unconfined compressive strength, Schmidt hammer, and Brazilian splitting test, they were conducted to determine the mechanical properties of rock specimens, water absorption, and porosity. They were conducted to determine the physical properties of rock specimens. The results of this study indicated that the correlation between unconfined compression strength and the Schmidt hammer test increases as the rock strength. The relationship is found in a polynomial equation. It has been found that the strong linear correlation between unconfined compression strength and Brazilian splitting test for the tested rocks. From this study, it has been found that there is an inverse relationship between the unconfined compression strength and water absorption. This relation is a power equation. It has been found from the present study that the unconfined compression strength increases as the porosity in the rock decreases. The relation is found to be a polynomial equation. The correlation coefficient (R2) varies between 0.5 and 0.95 in all relations.