GEOTECHNICAL STUDY OF SELECTED SITES FOR SUBSTITUTE OF MARBLE ETC.

Abstract

: In order to find sedimentary rocks as (( substitute of marble )) can be used for decorative stone in floors , stairways and facing walls furthermore building stones; A complete geotechnical study on both field and Laboratories were achieved on selected locations in the southern desert of the county . The study concentrated on two rock formation only because of their property of colour and strength ; Dammam ( L.Eocene ) and the Lower parts of Euphrates ( L.Miocene) . 16 Geolotechnical sesction were studied and 35 representative sample collected . The field logging and laboratory tests showed that 7 samples can be used for decoration as , floors , stairways , and facing walls due to its accordance with ( A .S.T. M. No. C-503-67-1975) for marbles and 24 samples can be used as facing and building stones because of their water absorption exceeds % 0.75 and agreed with (A .S.T.M. No. C-568-67-1975) for building stone . For excavation for blasting should only weaken the rock along Joints and not fracturing the material , furthermore mechanical tools such as , wedges wire saws … etc, to obtain blocks of large dimensions .