Characterization and quality assessment of granitic building stone deposits: A case study of two different Portuguese granites

Abstract Several factors determine building stone exploration in order to maximize the extraction, processing and application of these natural materials. Some factors are intrinsic to stones, such as their physical-mechanical properties, while others are related to their exploitability, such as quarry reserves or fracturing density. During an exploration campaign, these factors are not always considered or properly weighed in terms of the negative consequences on quarry activities or rock behaviour under particular conditions. In this study, two well-known Portuguese granites are assessed to highlight the main factors. These granites have different characteristics, weathered and sound, and are exploited in quarries with different joint densities. The most relevant physical-mechanical properties were evaluated and related to the specific petrophysical features of each granite. The fracture patterns were identified in the quarries and then modelled in order to compute the quarry yield. The weathered granite shows an important microcrack network and a general alteration of the rock-forming minerals, which has an important impact on its physical-mechanical properties and on the resistance to environmental factors. Moreover, the extreme differences in the degree of weathering require careful choices for the possible applications. In both quarries, the joint sets are similar to the regional faulting, but some random joints can be found and, consequently, diminish the quarry yield. The development of horizontal sheet joints during the exploitation process could have a great influence on the quarry productivity if they are not used do delimitate the extracted blocks. The modelling of the natural fracture pattern allows us to determine the potential volume of blocks that could be exploited. However, the quality of the information gathered could lead to an over-estimation of the quarry production. This example shows the importance of the exhaustive researches during a building stone assessment campaign.

[1]  O. Selonen,et al.  Exploration methods for granitic natural stones - Geological and topographical aspects from case studies in Finland , 2014 .

[2]  Raheb Bagherpour,et al.  How to determine the appropriate methods to identify the geometry of in situ rock blocks in dimension stones , 2015, Environmental Earth Sciences.

[3]  S. Kahraman.  The determination of uniaxial compressive strength from point load strength for pyroclastic rocks , 2014 .

[4]  S. Siegesmund,et al.  Salt and ice crystallisation in porous sandstones , 2007 .

[5]  Rafael Fort,et al.  Freeze–thaw fracturing in building granites , 2015 .

[6]  Manabu Takahashi,et al.  Identification and Three-Dimensional Characterization of Micropore Networks Developed in Granite using Micro-Focus X-ray CT , 2014 .

[7]  G. Grasselli,et al.  Fracture Toughness and Fracture Roughness in Anisotropic Granitic Rocks , 2010 .

[8]  Carlota M. Grossi,et al.  Surface changes on crystalline stones due to salt crystallisation , 2013, Environmental Earth Sciences.

[9]  A. Niaz,et al.  Building stone evaluation—A case study of the sub-Himalayas, Muzaffarabad region, Azad Kashmir, Pakistan , 2016 .

[10]  Y. Nara.  Effect of Anisotropy on the Long-Term Strength of Granite , 2015, Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering.

[11]  Elena Mercedes Perez-Monserrat,et al.  An urban geomonumental route focusing on the petrological and decay features of traditional building stones used in Madrid, Spain , 2013, Environmental Earth Sciences.

[12]  Luís M.O. Sousa,et al.  Influence of microfractures and porosity on the physico-mechanical properties and weathering of ornamental granites , 2005 .

[13]  S. Siegesmund,et al.  Bowing of dimensional granitic stones , 2011 .

[14]  N. Türk,et al.  Rock mass block quality designation for marble production , 2014 .

[15]  R. Fort,et al.  Determination of anisotropy to enhance the durability of natural stone , 2011 .

[16]  Rafael Fort,et al.  Thermal stress-induced microcracking in building granite , 2016 .

[17]  A. Palmstrøm.  The volumetric joint count as a measure of rock mass jointing , 1986 .

[18]  L. Sousa,et al.  Building Stone Evaluation Applied to Weathered Granites—The Example of Amarelo Real Granite (Northern Portugal) , 2015 .

[19]  S. Siegesmund,et al.  Salt bursting tests on volcanic tuff rocks from Mexico , 2016, Environmental Earth Sciences.

[20]  A. Streckeisen.  To each plutonic rock its proper name , 1976 .

[21]  Işık Yilmaz,et al.  Use of the core strangle test for tensile strength estimation and rock mass classification , 2010 .

[22]  M. J. Varas-Muriel,et al.  Preservation strategies for avoidance of salt crystallisation in El Paular Monastery cloister, Madrid, Spain , 2011 .

[23]  Luís M.O. Sousa,et al.  Color assessment of granitic rocks and implications for their ornamental utilization , 2012 .

[24]  M. Çelik,et al.  The investigation of static and dynamic capillary by water absorption in porous building stones under normal and salty water conditions , 2016, Environmental Earth Sciences.

[25]  S. Siegesmund,et al.  Physical weathering of building stones induced by freeze–thaw action: a laboratory long-term study , 2011 .

[26]  G. Andriani,et al.  Thermal decay of carbonate dimension stones: fabric, physical and mechanical changes , 2014, Environmental Earth Sciences.

[27]  S. Siegesmund,et al.  Granitic dimensional stones in Uruguay: evaluation and assessment of potential resources , 2013, Environmental Earth Sciences.

[28]  S. Siegesmund,et al.  Black dimensional stones: geology, technical properties and deposit characterization of the dolerites from Uruguay , 2011 .

[29]  Luís M.O. Sousa,et al.  Influence of fracture system on the exploitation of building stones: the case of the Mondim de Basto granite (north Portugal) , 2015, Environmental Earth Sciences.

[30]  George W. Scherer,et al.  Impact of in-pore salt crystallization on transport properties , 2012, Environmental Earth Sciences.

[31]  A. Koch,et al.  Marble bowing: comparative studies of three different public building facades , 2008 .

[32]  Luís M.O. Sousa,et al.  Granite fracture index to check suitability of granite outcrops for quarrying , 2007 .

[33]  Francisco J. García Alonso,et al.  Ornamental granites: Relationships between p-waves velocity, water capillary absorption and the crack network , 2010 .

[34]  A. Koch,et al.  The combined effect of moisture and temperature on the anomalous expansion behaviour of marble , 2004 .

[35]  S. Siegesmund,et al.  Marble decay induced by thermal strains: simulations and experiments , 2013, Environmental Earth Sciences.

[36]  Richard Přikryl,et al.  Assessment of rock geomechanical quality by quantitative rock fabric coefficients: Limitations and possible source of misinterpretations , 2006 .

[37]  Ronan Hébert,et al.  Salt crystallization in pores: quantification and estimation of damage , 2007 .

[38]  Richard Přikryl,et al.  Durability assessment of natural stone , 2013 .

[39]  S. Dultz,et al.  Implications of pore space characteristics on diffusive transport in basalts and granites , 2013, Environmental Earth Sciences.

[40]  R. Fort,et al.  Characterisation of monzogranitic batholiths as a supply source for heritage construction in the northwest of Madrid , 2010 .

[41]  C. Oguchi,et al.  Role of pore size distribution in salt uptake, damage, and predicting salt susceptibility of eight types of Japanese building stones , 2010 .

[42]  Manabu Takahashi,et al.  An Experimental Study on Measurement Methods of Bulk Density and Porosity of Rock Samples , 2015 .

[43]  Luís Sousa,et al.  Petrophysical properties and durability of granites employed as building stone: a comprehensive evaluation , 2014, Bulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment.

[44]  Luís Sousa,et al.  Differences in the quality of polishing between sound and weathered granites , 2013, Environmental Earth Sciences.

[45]  S. Siegesmund,et al.  The bowing potential of granitic rocks: rock fabrics, thermal properties and residual strain , 2008 .

[46]  M. Villeneuve,et al.  The development and application of the alteration strength index equation , 2015 .

[47]  Edwin R. Fuller,et al.  Influence of shape fabric and crystal texture on marble degradation phenomena: simulations , 2011 .

[48]  Luís M.O. Sousa,et al.  Evaluation of joints in granitic outcrops for dimension stone exploitation , 2010 .

[49]  Siegfried Siegesmund,et al.  Physical and Mechanical Properties of Rocks , 2011 .

[50]  Y. Géraud,et al.  Elastic anisotropy and pore space geometry of schlieren granite: Direct 3-D measurements at high confining pressure combined with microfabric analysis , 2013 .

[51]  Richard Přikryl,et al.  Current methods and future trends in testing, durability analyses and provenance studies of natural stones used in historical monuments , 2010 .

[52]  Manoj Khandelwal,et al.  A correlation between Schmidt hammer rebound numbers with impact strength index, slake durability index and P-wave velocity , 2011 .

[53]  D. Mishra,et al.  Estimation of uniaxial compressive strength of rock materials by index tests using regression analysis and fuzzy inference system , 2013 .

[54]  Siegfried Siegesmund,et al.  Optimized extraction of dimension stone blocks , 2011 .

[55]  R. Ulusay,et al.  Characterization of weathered acidic volcanic rocks and a weathering classification based on a rating system , 2007 .

[56]  İ. Çobanoğlu,et al.  Determination of strength parameters and quality assessment of Denizli travertines (SW Turkey) , 2012 .