Geotechnical Guide to Cored Rock in Kentucky SPR 07-338

KGS proposes to develop a prototype of a core logging manual that relates visual and tactile rock properties to geotechnical behavior. Systematic sampling of rock core for a selected geographic and geologic setting will be conducted to establish a reference collection of all the varieties of rock that would be expected to be encountered. Samples of the same materials will be identified that have been tested or can be tested to establish a properties database that corresponds directly to the reference collection. The rock collection will be analyzed to classify the specimens into a reasonably small number of classes having similar geologic characteristics and would be anticipated to have similar geotechnical properties. This classification will be illustrated in a manual that would also contain summaries of geotechnical data, and illustrations of in situ use of the materials and their design recommendations. BACKGROUND: KYTC geotechnical design projects typically involve the drilling of one or more subsurface core holes in order to test the materials that will be excavated, used as fill materials, or as foundation substrate. Drilling may be performed by KYTC drill crews or contractors. Core description is typically performed by engineers or geologists in the geotechnical branch. A variety of tests are done, either at the drill site or on samples of rock core to determine the behavioral properties of the material. There is general knowledge that different kinds of rock, like limestone or shale, will exhibit distinct properties and behaviors, but little quantitative data exists that can be specifically associated with all the varieties of these materials. Moreover, there are insufficient methods available for persons logging the cores to produce standard, repeatable description