Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The relationships between the rock material properties and weathering grades of andesitic rocks around İzmir, Turkey

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Bulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

İzmir is the third largest city in Western Turkey founded on sedimentary and volcanic rocks. Pyroxene andesitic rocks with the age of Late Miocene are found as andesitic lavas, autobreccias, basaltic andesites, and andesitic agglomerates in and nearby the city centre of İzmir. There are a number of major engineering structures under construction in andesitic rocks involving large slope cuts, tunnels and shafts in the city. Thus, the short-term and long-term engineering behaviours of these rocks are very important in terms of the excavation and the stability of these structures. For these reasons, rock material properties of andesitic rocks were investigated in this study. The relationships between the rock material and weathering grades of the volcanic rocks were determined. Initially, the weathering grades of andesitic rocks were established on core samples recovered from boreholes drilled for site investigations of the İzmir subway route and the abandoned andesite quarries in the region. The samples were also subject to petrographic modal analysis, chemical analysis, and laboratory tests to determine the physical and mechanical properties of andesitic rocks. The relationships between the index and engineering properties for different weathering grades of andesitic rocks are also established for engineering use in practice. In addition, a new weathering index, based on major element analyses, was proposed to be used for the determination of weathering grade of andesitic rock.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14
Fig. 15

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Anon (1977) The description of rock masses for engineering purposes. Q J Eng Geol 10:355–389

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • ASTM (2001) Standard practices for preparing rock core specimens and determining dimensional and shape tolerances. American Society for Testing and materials, D4543

  • ASTM (2005) Standard test method for the determination of point load strength index of rock. American Society for Testing and Materials, D5731

  • Beavis FC (1985) Engineering geology, geosciences texts, vol 5. Black Well Scientific Publications, Melbourne, Australia, p 230

    Google Scholar 

  • Bieniawski ZT (1976) Rock mass classification in rock engineering. In: Proceedings of the symposium on exploration for rock engineering, Johannesburg, vol 1, pp 97–106

  • Broch E, Franklin JA (1972) The point load strength test. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 9:669–697

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • BS 5930 (1981) British Standards, Code of Practice for Site Investigations (formerly CP 2001). British Standard Institution, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Bükülen E (2013) Engineering Geology of the İzmir Subway Route located between Fahrettin Altay public square and Üçyol District of the city of İzmir, Dissertation. Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences of Dokuz Eylül University. Advisor: Dr. M. Y. Koca, İzmir, p 286

  • Ceryan S, Tudeş S, Ceryan N (2008) A new quantitative weathering classification for igneous rocks. Environ Geol 55:1319–1336

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Çobanoğlu İ, Çelik SB (2008) Estimation of uniaxial compressive strength from point load strength, Schmidt hardness and P-wave velocity. Bull Eng Geol Environ 67:491–498

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dearman WR, Baynes EJ, Irfan TY (1978) Engineering grading of weathered granite. Eng Geol 12:345–374

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diamantis K, Gartzos E, Migiros G (2009) Study on uniaxial compressive strength, point load strength index, dynamic and physical properties of serpentinites from Central Greece: test results and empirical relations. Eng Geol 108:199–207

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fell R, MacGregor P, Stapledon D, Bell G (2013) Geotechnical engineering of dams. Taylor & Francis, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Fener MS, Kahraman S, Bilgil A, Günaydin O (2005) A comparative evaluation of indirect methods to estimate the compressive strength of rocks. Rock Mech Rock Eng 38(4):329–343

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Forster IR (1983) The influence of core sample geometry on the axial point load test. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci Geomech Abstr 20:291–295

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Geological Society (1977) The description of rock masses for engineering purposes. Q J Eng Geol Hydrol 10:355–388

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hassani FP, Whittaker BN, Scoble MJ (1980) Application of the point load index test to strength determination of rock, proposals for a new size correlation chart. In: Proceeding of the 21st US symposium on rock mechanics, Rolla, MO

  • Hawkins AB (1998) Aspects of rock strength. Bull Eng Geol Environ 57:17–30

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hencher SR (2013) Characterizing discontinuities in naturally fracture development over geological time. Geol Soc Lond Spec Publ 374. doi:10.1144/sp374.15

    Google Scholar 

  • IAEG (1981) Rock and soil description and classification for engineering geological mapping. Report by International Association of Engineering Geology Commission on engineering geological mapping. Bull IAEG 24:235–274

    Google Scholar 

  • ISRM (1981) Suggested methods for rock characterization, testing and monitoring. In: Brown ET (ed) ISRM suggested methods. Pergamon Press, UK, p 211

    Google Scholar 

  • ISRM (1985) Suggested method for determining point load strength. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 22:53–60

    Google Scholar 

  • ISRM (2007) The complete ISRM suggested methods for rock characterization, testing and monitoring: 1974–2006. In: Ulusay R, Hudson JA (eds) Compilation arranged by the ISRM Turkish National Group Ankara, Turkey, p 156

  • İTÜ and DEÜ (1993) Feasibility work of the first phase of the İzmir Subway System with 9.2 km long located between the Fahrettin Altay public square and Basmane District of the city of İzmir (Joint venture between Yapı Merkezi Construction and Industry Company of Turkey and ABB of Sweden), report number: 9210-TR-03

  • Kahraman S, Günaydin O, Fener M (2005) The effect of porosity on the relation between uniaxial compressive strength and point load index. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 42:584–589

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Koca MY (1995) Slope stability assessment of the abandoned andesite quarries in and around the İzmir City Centre. Dissertation. Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences of Dokuz Eylül University

  • Koca MY, Kıncal C (2004) Abandoned stone quarries in and around the Izmir city centre and their geo-environmental impacts—Turkey. Eng Geol 75:49–67

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kurtuluş C, Irmak TS, Sertçelik İ (2010) Physical and mechanical properties of Gökçeada; Imbros (NE Aegean Sea) Island andesites. Bull Eng Geol Environ 69(2):320–324

    Google Scholar 

  • Norbury DR (1986) The point load test. Site investigation practices: assessing BS 5930. Geological Society of Engineering Geology Special Publication 2, p 423

  • Read JRL, Thornton PN, Reagan WM (1980) A rotational approach to the point load test. In: Proceedings of the 3rd Australia New Zealand Conference on Geomechanics, Wellington, vol 2, pp 35–39

  • Sabatakakis N, Tsiambaos G, Gerochristodoulou D (2002) Estimation of physical and mechanical parameters of rock. Bulletin of Public Works Research Centre, January 2000–June 2002, pp 3–8

  • Tarcan G, Koca MY (2001) Hydrogeological and geotechnical assessments of the Kadifekale landslide area, İzmir, Turkey. Environ Geol 40(3):289–299

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tuğrul A (2004) The effect of weathering on pore geometry and compressive strength of selected rock types from Turkey. Eng Geol 75:215–227

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tuncay E, Hasancelebi N (2009) The effect of length to diameter ratio of test specimens on the uniaxial compressive strength of rock. Bull Eng Geol Environ 68:491–497

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Türk N, Dearman WR (1986) A new procedure for determination of point load strength in site investigation. Site Investigation Practice-Assessing BS 5930, Special Publication No. 2, pp 406–411

  • Türk N, Koca MY, Yüzer E, Vardar M, Öztaş T, Erdoğan M (1994) Engineering geological problems of the first phase of the Izmir metro. In: International Association of Engineering Geology, Lisbon/Portugal, 5–9 Sept, 7th international IAEG congress, 1994 Balkema, Rotterdam, pp 4259–4264

  • Ündül Ö, Tuğrul A (2011) The influence of weathering on the engineering properties of dunites. Rock Mech Rock Eng 45(2):225–239. doi:10.1007/s00603-011-0174-1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walpole RE, Myers RH, Myers SL, Ye KE (2012) Probability and statistics for engineers and scientists. Prentice Hall, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Willun Z, Starzewski K (1972) Soil mechanics in foundation engineering. vol I, II. Intertex Books, London

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Geological Engineering Department, Engineering Faculty, Dokuz Eylül University, Buca, Izmir, Turkey

    Mehmet Yalçın Koca & Cem Kıncal

Authors
  1. Mehmet Yalçın Koca
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Cem Kıncal
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Cem Kıncal.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Koca, M.Y., Kıncal, C. The relationships between the rock material properties and weathering grades of andesitic rocks around İzmir, Turkey. Bull Eng Geol Environ 75, 709–734 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-015-0813-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-015-0813-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation