• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.14 no.3 s.40
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• pp.273-285
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• 2004

The mechanical properties of the Cretaceous tuff distributed in the Goheung area were measured in the laboratory. Tuff (Goehung tuff and Palyeongsan welded tuff) in the study area is classified into vitric tuff with regard to its composition. The specific gravity, the dry density, the water content, the porosity and absorption ratio in tuffs of the study area are 2.51, $2.52(g/cm^2)$, 0.12($\%$), 4.51($\%$) and 1.91($\%$) in means, respectively. In the tuffs, dry densities are in inverse Proportion to Porosities, and absorption ratios are highly proportional with Porosities. The uniaxial compressive strengths(UCS) in the tuffs ranges from 80.4 to 208(MPa) and the average of the strength is 141.1(MPa). According to the engineering classification of intact rock (Deere & Miller, 1966), the tuffs are assigned to the high strength rocks. The point load strength index ($Is_a$) in axial test is 4.2(MPa) on the average, and the point load strength index ($Is_d$) in diametral test is 2.2(MPa) in mean, and the point load strength anisotrophic index($Ia_{(50)}$) by the ratio of $Is_a$ to $Is_d$ is 1.93. There is close linear correlation between the uniaxial compressive strength and point load strength index, and the equation representing the correlation is postulated as follows : UCS = 22 $Is_{(50)}$ +49 (MPa) (r=0.95). It is considered that this equation is a useful tool to estimate UCS for tuff in Goheung area.