EUROCK 2015 & 64th Geomechanics Colloquium. Schubert & Kluckner (ed.

) © ÖGG

Composite elasticity of Copenhagen limestone

Nataša Katić
Geo, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark

Helle Foged Christensen

Geo, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark

ABSTRACT: The elastic properties of the Copenhagen Limestone matrix material are spanning over
more than two scales of magnitude. The sizes of rock constituents, the bulk density and the degree
of induration of matrix material vary. The measured value of the elastic modulus depends on the
inherent material properties, the size of the engaged volume and the measuring technique. The work
presents a synthetic approach in determination of rock mass modulus by using theory of mixtures,
thereby constructing a framework for interpretation of multi-scale investigations. Trend lines for
mixtures observed on the results of acoustic tests are used to combine the UCS test results in order
to obtain the modulus of the intact rock mass. Rock mass modulus relating to disturbed rock mass is
derived by means of Hoek and Brown model (Hoek et al. 2002) and compared to the results of High
Pressure Dilatometer Tests.

1 INTRODUCTION

Copenhagen Limestone (CL) is a carbonate rock with varying degree of induration, ranging from
unlithified sediments to very strongly indurated rock. Determination of the rock mass modulus for
CL presents a challenge, not only due to variation of induration, but also due to variable degree of
fracturing. Variations occur on a centimetre scale.
A comprehensive ground investigation has been carried out in relation to Cityring project,
comprising several hundreds of borings. Available measurements of elastic moduli include broad
series of laboratory and field tests, including unconfined compression strength (UCS) and high
pressure dilatometer tests (HPDT), as well as corresponding measurements of the sound velocities
on laboratory specimens by means of piezo-crystals (PC) and vertical seismic profiling (VSP) in the
field. The interpretation of these tests is aided by series of laboratory classification tests and
geophysical tests in the field (porosity and density measurements). A comparative analysis of the
results has been conducted and presented earlier (see e.g. Katić & Christensen 2014). For the sake of
brevity, the evaluations presented herein are made for the average values covering the Cityring site
as a whole.
CL is divided into 3 stratigraphic units, Upper, Middle and Lower (UCL; MCL and LCL,
respectively), based on the results of geophysical and core logging, showing specific patterns of
limestone and flint forming the rock. The zone of interest for the tunnelling and related support
structures such as station walls is mainly above LCL; hence, the evaluation focuses on CL above the
LCL. Figure 1 shows typical samples from CL.

Figure 1. Sample cores from Upper Copenhagen Limestone (left) and Middle Copenhagen Limestone (right).

The top-most part of the CL is irregularly glacially and otherwise disturbed, which in general results
with lower estimate of Geological Strength Index (GSI) in comparison with the lower CL. General
range of GSI in CL is from 45 in top UCL to 55 in lower part.
CL is dominantly composed of calcite, with carbonate content reaching well above 95% in most
of the material. CL is classified in terms of indurations H0 – H5, where indurations H0 and H1
represent unlithified material, while induration H5 is generally flint made of micro-crystalline quartz.
The flint in CL is irregularly distributed throughout the mass. In particular, MCL is characterized
by the small nodules of flint. These are sometimes fully encapsulated within a sample, thus affecting
the physical properties. Flint is more elastic and stronger material than calcite. Thus, assessed moduli
in a sample from the Copenhagen Limestone may be higher than the moduli of pure calcite, which
can be attributed to flint encapsulated within the sample.
Taking into account the scale of the structures of interest, CL is considered to be a homogeneous
medium. None of the performed tests showed pronounced anisotropy with regards to strength and
stiffness.

2 ELEMENTS OF ELASTICITY IN MIXED ROCK

2.1 Very small strain: Acoustic measurements

Rules of mixtures provide theoretical bounds for the stiffness of composite materials. Voigt and
Reuss models relate to axial and transversal loading, thereby defining the uppermost and the
lowermost bounds, respectively. The current work also considers other mixture models, in particular
Raymer-Hunt Gardner and Wyllie time average curves (see e.g. Mavko et al. 1998).
In order to enable comparison with other calcite rocks, p-wave velocity (vp) and s-wave velocity
(vs) from the available measurements on CL are presented on Figures 2 and 3, respectively.
Comparison with the vp estimates for composite (porous) material is based on vp of pure calcite of
about 6,600 m/s and full saturation by fresh water for a given porosity. The data is presented having
in mind that the tests on UCS samples and VSP tests engage very different volumes of the rock as
well as different confining stress levels. More so, while the VSPs are considered to be carried out in
fully saturated medium, this condition may not be strictly fulfilled during the UCS testing.
It can be seen that the CL data plots close to or slightly below the Wyllie’s time average and
Raymer-Hunt-Gardner curves. This is in agreement with other published data (e.g. Mavko et al. 1998,
Eberli et al. 2003), whereas it is notable that the test results on samples with induration H2 guide the
trend towards compacted mud samples presented by Eberli et al. (2003).
The VSP results follow the trend of the data on intact samples (see Figure 3). The results show
that the rock mass response is similar to the response of samples with induration H2. This indicates
a prevailing induration of the rock mass within the investigated profiles, but also includes an effect
of the scale between the volume of UCS samples and volume involved in VSP response.
 PC on UCS; H2
7
PC on UCS; H3
6
p- wave velocity, vp [km/s] PC on UCS; H4
5
VSP
4
Reus vp (Wood's formula)
3
Voight vp

2 Raymer-Hunt-Gardner

1 Wyllie
0 20 40 60 80 100
Porosity [%] Pure carbonate mud, cf. Eberli et al.
2003

Figure 2. vp from PC tests on UCS samples and in situ VSP tests.

4 PC on UCS; H2 PC on UCS; H3
PC on UCS; H4 VSP
Raymer-Hunt-Gardner PC on UCS; all data
3
s- wave velocity, vs [km/s]

1:2
8
2
6
vp [km/s]

4
1
2

0 0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 0 2 4
Porosity [%] vs [km/s]

Figure 3. Left: vs from PC tests on UCS samples and VSP results; Right: comparison of measured vs and vp.

The data indicates that, for practical applications within the range of porosities observed in situ, the
Raymer-Hunt-Gardner approximation is not likely to be exceeded, while Reuss model is a valid
lower bound. The theoretical high bound curves, such as Voight or Hashin-Shtrikman, plot high
above the data, and are of no technical interest. Therefore, they are not presented herein.
The plots show that all of the matrix constituents follow the same trend, hence that that the
characteristic stiffness parameter (e.g. modulus of elasticity or shear modulus) can be estimated by
determination of characteristic porosity or its proxies such as bulk density or water content. The
trends also show that the stiffness contribution of the matrix constituents with induration lower than
H2 is very small.

2.2 Small strain on intact rock: UCS tests

The modulus of the intact rock mass can be estimated from the LVDT measurements in UCS tests,
by extrapolation of the evaluations of acoustic tests presented above.
For a core recovery less than 100%, two scenarios are derived. Namely, core loss occurs because
the low induration part of the matrix is being washed out, in which case the core loss does not
contribute to the stiffness of the mass. Alternatively, core loss can occur due to the clogging of the
tube during drilling through high induration material, in which case, the contribution of the core loss
is calculated as an assumed H5 contribution. The results of the UCS testing are summarized in the
Table 1, together with the average induration count for the Cityring area based on the borehole logs.

Table 1. Average UCS results and induration count (CL) for the Cityring area based on the borehole logs.
Core loss H1 H2 H3 H4 H5
Porosity (UCS) [%] n/a 39 21 15 n/a
σc (UCS) [MPa] n/a 4 16 33 n/a
ELVDT (UCS) [MPa] (0)* 2,591 7,496 11,548 (40,000)*
εx [%] n/a 0.17 0.21 0.28 n/a
CL [%] 16 2 29 14 20 17
* Estimate adopted for evaluations, ref. Katić & Christensen 2014, cf. Hansen & Foged 2002

For the two scenarios, the Reuss (lower) bound of the elasticity modulus of the intact rock mass is
estimated in the range 6,300 – 6,600 MPa. Assuming Poison’s ratio of 0.3, G of the intact rock mass
is estimated in the range of 2,400 – 2,600 MPa. It should be noted that these values relate to the same
level of strain as the UCS measurements, i.e. the small strain (<1%). In the same respect, Reuss
estimate of the intact UCS strength is 6.1 – 6.2 MPa.

2.3 Large strain in disturbed rock mass: HPDT testing

High pressure dilatometer test (HPDT) is an in situ test, performed by expanding a cylindrical cavity
of the boring (on average about 110 mm) by application of a certain pressure and measuring the
cavity expansion in terms of the achieved shear strain. The shear moduli are thus obtained for initial
expansion, and thereafter, for unload-reload branches performed at certain stress levels. It is assumed
that no volumetric strain occurs; hence, there is no change in overall porosity during the test.
Due to the drilling technique, the bored pockets are not ideally smooth and some of the
constituents become disturbed; typically, most of the material weaker than H2 is washed out from
the interface zone, which slightly biases the results.
It is considered that the HPDT results reflect the deformability of the rock mass as a whole (the
rock mass stiffness as per Hoek-Brown material model), including a certain level of damage due to
the drilling technique. Overview of results of HPDT testing is presented in Table 2 and Figure 3.

Table 2. HPDT testing results overview.

Average
Maximal pressure [MPa] 2 3 4 6 5
Maximal G [MPa] 552 740 963 1237 859
Max. expansion [mm] 9 (6.5*)
* 50% percentile

Initial moduli from HPDT are challenged by determination of the reference point for zero strain,
which requires a totally unloaded cavity. In a rock material that is stress relived by drilling, the initial
modulus is affected by drilling-induced disturbance and likely under-estimated. For the reloading
branch, the pressures need to be above, and remain above, the overburden stresses to ensure that
there are no effects of the drilling process. It is considered that all moduli obtained at pressures
smaller than about 2 MPa are affected by the stress relief. At higher stress levels, the measured shear
moduli are affected by the stress level. This is largely confirmed by the investigation, where only
two tests showed shear moduli (obtained at 2 MPa) larger than the shear moduli obtained at higher
pressures.
 3000 3000
max G
2500 2500
G [3 Mpa]
max GHPDT [MPa]

max GHPDT [MPa]

2000 2000

1500 1500

1000 1000

500 500

0 0
0 5 10 0 5 10 15 20
max pressure [MPa] max expansion [mm]

Figure 4. Cityring HPDT measurements. Left: Maximal shear moduli against applied pressure, with outlined
lower and upper bounds; Right: Maximal shear moduli against maximal expansion, with outlined shear
moduli obtained at 3 MPa.

Figure 3 shows that the minimal shear modulus of the rock mass, at the level of disturbance imposed
by drilling, approaches a limit of about 350 MPa. Here, the corresponding deformation can be
approximated as one-half of the ratio of maximal expansion to the average diameter of the pocket,
i.e. ½ x 9 mm / 110 mm, see Table 2. Although part of such a large deformation may still be caused
by the recovery of the stress relief, it is clear that the deformation exceeds the threshold of large
deformation. Based on the assumed Poisson’s ratio of 0.3, the corresponding deformation modulus
of the disturbed rock mass is about 900 MPa.

3 COPENHAGEN LIMESTONE IN HOEK-BROWN MATERIAL FRAME

It is a common practice to estimate the rock mass deformation and strength parameters based on the
Hoek and Brown (Hoek et al. 2002) model, which assumes that these properties are governed by
sliding and rotation of intact blocks of rock defined by intersecting discontinuities (cf. Hoek et al.
2013). In this respect, the Hoek and Brown model provides a scale between the moduli obtained by
averaging moduli based on theory of mixtures applied on UCS samples as intact moduli, and the
moduli obtained by means of HPDT testing as rock mass moduli.
As the mechanical tests on the samples from the top of the CL showed no difference to the other
parts of the CL, it is considered that the same input parameters can be used for the whole of the CL.
Based on the presented average results of UCS tests on intact samples (Ei = 6,300 – 6,600 MPa and
σci = 6.1 – 6.2 MPa) the modulus ratio, MR, is about 1,000 which is in agreement with the value
suggested for micritic limestone (see Hoek & Diederichs 2006).
The variation of disturbance factor, D, between the intact and highly disturbed rock leads to a
factor of 2-3 between the intact modulus and rock mass modulus. This parameter typically describes
the blast damage, whereas for the excavation done by e.g. tunnel boring machine the parameter is
typically lower. Given the drilling induced disturbances and very large strains developed during the
HPDT testing, and the glacial disturbance of the limestone, it is considered that large damage factors
are appropriate for application in CL.
The results of the Hoek and Brown model for calculating rock mass modulus Erm as function of
D, obtained using RocLab 1.0 software are presented on Figure 5, together with the results of HPDT
testing. It can be seen that the moduli obtained by HPDT and from Hoek and Brown model are in
good agreement.
 3000
2500

Erm [MPa]
2000
GSI = 45
1500
1000 GSI = 55
500 HPDT: E,Reuss
0
0 0,2 0,4 0,6 0,8 1
D [-]
Figure 5. Evaluation of the Copenhagen Limestone rock mass modulus in terms of Hoek and Brown model.

4 CONCLUSION

The work presented challenges in a combined interpretation of laboratory and field testing of a highly
variable Copenhagen Limestone. The framework for interpretation is based on multi-scale averaging
of material parameters obtained in various tests.
Rules of mixtures observed on the results of acoustic tests are used to combine the UCS results
on intact samples in order to obtain the intact modulus of the rock mass. Rock mass modulus relating
to disturbed rock mass is derived by means of Hoek and Brown model (Hoek et al. 2002) and
compared to the HPDT results. The obtained results are in agreement with the results obtained by in-
situ HPDT tests and earlier suggested values (Katić & Christensen 2014).

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The authors express their gratitude to the Metroselskabet and CMT for the permission to publish the
data.

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