International Research Journal of Innovations in Engineering and Technology - IRJIET International Open Access, Monthly, Peer Reviewed, Reputed Journal ISSN (online): 2581-3048

Impact Factor (2025): 6.9

DOI Prefix: 10.47001/IRJIET

Laboratory Investigation of the Physico-Mechanical Properties of Coral Limestone of Vipingo Area in Kenya’s Coastal Region

Abstract

This study investigates physical and mechanical characteristics of the Pleistocene coral limestone of Kenya’s coastal plain by laboratory experiments based on ASTM standards. The experiments have done include uniaxial compression test, indirect tensile test, ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) test, saturation porosity for porosity and direct shear test. Engineering properties of brittleness, Schmidt’s rebound number, fracture index and drillability index are calculated from empirical equations based on the tensile strength and uniaxial compressive strength available in published literature. The various moduli are also calculated from equations based on the P-wave and S-wave velocities from UPV test. The average values of the investigated physical properties include bulk density (2199kg/m3), porosity (8.47%). The average investigated mechanical properties values include uniaxial compressive strength (16.41MPa), tensile strength (1.61MPa), Elastic modulus(31.62GPa), cohesion(133.33kPa) and friction angle (410). The P-wave and S-wave velocities are 4797m/s and 2288m/s respectively. The results presented in this work highlight the influence of rock porosity as an inherent structural feature that affects intact rock properties. The results are discussed with a focus on the variation of properties with porosity, with the conclusion that empirical relationships developed for porous rock should include porosity as a parameter which contributes to variations in rock properties. This paper presents the first published geomechanical data of coral limestone from the reef coral rock formation making up Kenya’s coastline.

Country : Kenya

1 Joan Atieno Onyango2 Dorothy Mwanzia Kanini3 Dyson Moses4 Cho Thae Oo5 Ulaankhuu Batsaikhan6 Seelae Phaisopha7 Ian Tsuma Krop

  1. Department of Mining, Materials and Petroleum Engineering, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, P.O. Box 62000-00200, Nairobi, Kenya
  2. Department of Physics, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, P.O. Box 62000-00200, Nairobi, Kenya
  3. Department of Geography and Earth Sciences, School of Applied Science, University of Malawi, P.O Box 280, Zomba, Malawi
  4. Department of Earth Resources Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
  5. Department of Earth Resources Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
  6. Department of Earth Resources Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
  7. Department of Mining, Materials and Petroleum Engineering, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, P.O. Box 62000-00200, Nairobi, Kenya

IRJIET, Volume 6, Issue 2, February 2022 pp. 42-53

doi.org/10.47001/IRJIET/2022.602009

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