Determination of the Geotechnical Characteristics of Hornfelsic Rocks with a Particular Emphasis on the Correlation Between Physical and Mechanical Properties

Geotechnical characteristics and relationships between various physical and mechanical properties were assessed for eight types of hornfelsic rock collected from southern and southwestern parts of the city of Hamedan in western Iran. Rock samples were subjected to mineralogical, physical, index, and mechanical laboratory tests and found to contain quartz, feldspar, biotite, muscovite, garnet, sillimanite, kyanite, staurolite, graphite, and other fine-grained cryptocrystalline matrix materials. Samples had a porphyroblastic texture, and the mineral contents and physical properties influenced various rock characteristics. Some rock characteristics were affected by mineral content, while others were affected by porosity. Dry unit weight, primary and secondary wave velocities, and slake-durability index were noteworthy characteristics affected by mineral content, while porosity had the greatest influence on water absorption, Schmidt hardness, point load index, Brazilian tensile strength, and uniaxial compressive strength. Empirical equations describing the relationships between different rock parameters are proposed for determining the essential characteristics of rock, such as secondary wave velocity, slake-durability index, point load index, Brazilian tensile strength, and uniaxial compressive strength. On the basis of these properties, the studied rocks were classified as being strong or very strong.