Rock properties - Geotechnical Investigation and Design Tables - page 102

Table 9.1 General engineering properties of common rocks (Hunt, 2005).

Rock origin Type Characteristics Permeability Deformability Strength

Igneous coarse to medium Granite, granadiorite, Welded interlocking Essentially Very low Very high

grained - very slow to diorite, peridiotite grains, very little impermeable

slow cooling pore space

Igneous fine grained - Rhyolite, trachyte, quartz, Similar to above, With voids can be Very low to low Very high to high

rapid cooling dacite, andesite, basalt or can contain voids highly permeable

Igneous glassy - Pumice, scoria, Very high Very high Relatively low Relatively low

very rapid chilling vesicular basalt void ratio

Sedimentary - Sandstones Voids cement filled. Low Low High

arenaceous clastic Partial filling of very high moderate to high Moderate to low

voids by cement coatings

Sedimentary - Shales Depends on degree Impermeable High to low, can be Low to high

argillaceous clastic of lithification highly expansive

Sedimentary - Limestone Pure varieties High through Low except for High except for

arenaceous normally develop caverns cavern arch cavern arch

chemically formed caverns

Sedimentary - argillaceous Dolomite Seldom develops Impermeable Lower than Higher than

chemically formed cavities limestone limestone

Metamorphic Gneiss Weakly foliated Essentially Low High

impermeable

Strongly foliated Very low Moderate normal to High normal to

foliations. Low foliations. Low

parallel to foliations parallel to foliations

Metamorphic Schist Strongly foliated Low As for gneiss

Metamorphic Phyllite Highly foliated Low Weaker than gneiss

Metamorphic Quartzite Strongly welded Impermeable Very low Very high

grains

Metamorphic Marble Strongly welded Impermeable Very low Very high