Mechanical characterization of Trebisacce stone: preliminary results

Giulia Forestieri (a) & Maurizio Ponte (a)
(a) Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Sciences , University of Calabria, Via P. Bucci, Cubo 15B, 87036, Arcavacata di Rende (CS), Italy. Corresponding author e-mail: giulia.forestieri@unical.it

Trebisacce stone is a building material employed in the past for the construction of structural elements of the historical centre of Trebisacce and for the realization of ornamental elements of the northern part of Cosenza province. The outcrops of Trebisacce stone belong to the Albidona Formation and are located in the area of Sibari. Lithotypes which have been investigated, limestones, come from historical outcrops situated in the old town of Trebisacce. The aim of this study is to characterize Trebisacce stone, a carbonate rock with good mechanical and durability properties, and to compare results obtained performing different techniques of analysis. Tests which have been performed belong to both non-destructive techniques (Schmidt hammer test) and to destructive techniques (uniaxial compressive strength test). Relationship between Schmidt hammer rebound values and uniaxial strength was analyzed using different equations. Results obtained demonstrate that Trebisacce stone has good mechanical properties. No-destructive tests performed show that the Schmidt hammer device could be a useful tool in estimating rock strength values for engineering applications. Furthermore, the comparison between direct and indirect uniaxial compressive values, demonstrate which of the relationships proposed by many authors, could be better for evaluating the uniaxial compressive strength as a function of unit weight and Schmidt hammer rebound.

mechanical characterization, Schmidt hammer test, uniaxial compressive strength test.