Assessing the Strength and Deformation Properties of Serpentinite Rocks in Dry and Saturated Conditions

It is clear that the engineering properties of various rocks in dry and wet conditions are different. In general, the properties decrease with the presence of water. The present research investigates the effect of rock saturation on the strength and deformation properties of serpentinites collected from central Greece. A comprehensive laboratory test program was planned to evaluate unit weight, effective porosity, uniaxial compressive strength, elasticity modulus, and Brazilian tensile strength in saturated states. All the results of the above-mentioned saturated properties were compared with the respective properties measured in dry conditions taken from previous studies. Simple regression analyses were used to correlate the physical and mechanical properties of the two referred states. The obtained results revealed that the values of the considered physical and mechanical properties of the studied serpentinite rocks are deceased with the presence of water. There are good relations between different rock properties in dry and saturated states. Generally, the relations are better in dry state. All correlations between the same rock properties in dry and saturated states are as direct linear relations, whereas relationships between the mechanical and physical properties are mainly exponential. Some of them are logarithmic or power equations.