The relationship between mechanical properties and mineralogical composition of some sedimentary rocks

The physical and mechanical properties of rock material are remarkably associated with the comprising mineralogical composition and textural characteristics. Therefore, meticulous understanding of the role of mineralogical composition in engineering behavior of sedimentary rocks is essential. For this purpose, both matrix and aggregates of rocks must be thoroughly analyzed to obtain a comprehensive insight of this aspect. The main objective of this study is to investigate the extent of complexity of the relationship between mineralogical and mechanical properties of some sedimentary rocks. Several sedimentary rock samples from different regions of Iran were analyzed in this study. The same samples were then tested to determine uniaxial compressive strength, tensile strength, Schmidt hammer hardness, and Cerchar Abrasivity index. The relationship between these properties and the mineralogical composition were described by linear and multivariate regression analyses. The research unequivocally establishes a significant correlation between specific mechanical parameters and mineralogical composition. Moreover, the findings highlight the relative importance of each parameter, with some being more crucial than others.