The effects of bedding directions on abrasion resistance in travertine rocks

Authors: MEHMEDİ VEHBİ GÖKÇE

Abstract: Travertine rocks are currently used in various architectural applications, cut perpendicular or parallel to bedding planes. Travertine stones used without enough attention paid to the cutting directions easily wear off in locations where pedestrian traffic is heavy and can cause some unexpected complications in practice. This study was conducted to elucidate the effects of cutting directions on the abrasion resistance of travertine stones. Travertine blocks were cut perpendicular and parallel to bedding planes, and their abrasion resistances were determined by means of the Böhme abrasion loss test. Travertine blocks were chosen from 6 different quarries whose products are currently in commercial use in Turkey and abroad. The rocks used in this study were macroscopically and microscopically described in terms of sizes, distribution patterns, and area ratios of pores, which were calculated using image analysis technique; the effects of these features on the abrasion resistances of the samples were expressed numerically. The relationships between pore area ratios and the Böhme abrasion loss values, in relation to the bedding directions, were also studied. The issues of cutting travertine rocks perpendicular or parallel to their bedding planes and how to extend the lifespan are also discussed. According to the findings, surface abrasion losses in all travertine samples cut perpendicular to their bedding plates were found to have been less than those of the samples cut parallel. Moreover, sizes and distribution patterns of the pores were found to be effective on the abrasion resistance; the pores on the surfaces cut perpendicular were smaller in size, flatter, and discontinuous, while the pores on the surfaces cut parallel were relatively greater in size, connected to each other, and with larger surface areas.

Keywords: Travertine, cutting direction, bedding plane, Böhme abrasion loss, image analysis

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