Tensile strength properties of coquina - Historic building stone from the First Coast of Florida

Document Type

Conference Proceeding

Publication Date

1-1-2017

Abstract

Coquina is a historic building stone from the First Coast of Florida which has been used since the mid-1500s for both military and residential construction. Coquina is a limestone consisting of shells cemented with calcium carbonate and quartz sand. Split tension testing was conducted on specimens cored from blocks of coquina. Core samples with diameters of 50.8 mm, 70 mm and 94.6 mm were obtained both perpendicular and parallel to bedding. Seventy-five specimens were tested. Results indicate there is variability between tensile strength of specimens obtained from different blocks. The relationship between tensile strength and unit weight was more variable than expected considering the simple composition of the coquina. Based on the limited testing of specimens cored perpendicular to bedding, coquina is transversely isotropic and there is an decrease in tensile strength with increasing specimen size. Acid bath testing was used to determine the percentage of quartz sand in the specimen in an attempt to relate cementation, expressed as a mass percentage of sand, to tensile strength.

Publication Title

51st US Rock Mechanics / Geomechanics Symposium 2017

Volume

2

First Page

1454

Last Page

1461

ISBN

9781510857582

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