Engineering geological characterization of the antalya karstic rocks

Abstract

This paper presents the identification of the geotechnical parameters of the Antalya karstic foundation rocks (travertine/tufa), whose mechanical behavior is highly variable due to its composition. Antalya tufa rock has numerous types/members of tufa, each has different structures. It has no well-developed joint system and is variably porous. In order to reveal the controlling geotechnical parameters for the mechanical behavior of the Antalya tufa rock and to develop a comprehensive geotechnical database, numerous field and laboratory geome-chanics tests have been carried out. Accordingly, the geological and geotechnical parameters of the rock underlying the City of Antalya have been identified by using statistical methods. Useful relations or equations for the Antalya tufa rock have been proposed from a geotechnical point of view.