Mechanical Strength Tests of Building Blocks of the Historical British Government Building in Famagusta, North Cyprus

Damage assessments and strength tests of building blocks of the British Government Building in Famagusta have been carried out. A total of 40 core samples, three or four-inches in diameter, were drilled from different spots, and mechanical strength tests were performed applying standard laboratory procedures. The building in question is made of Pliocene–Pleistocene age calcarenite (granular limestone) blocks whose trade name is Saritas, which means yellow stone. As a result of a fire, ceilings and roofs of the building collapsed, steel beams bent, wooden beams and other wooden elements burned, interior plasters fell. The compressive strengths of overall core samples varied between 1.01 and 21.85 MPa. The mean value for the formation is 6.86 MPa. The porosity of the samples varies between 16.74 and 50.44%. Porosity versus compressive strength revealed an inverse correlation between the two parameters. Collected samples were grouped into three facies based on their petrographic analysis. These are 1. Fine-grained calcarenite, 2. Coarse-grained calcarenite, and 3. Vuggy calcarenite. Compressional strength dependency on lithology type has been studied and the coarser the rock texture the weaker the rock strength is concluded.