ROCK PROPERTIES 437

TABLE A.1 Static mechanical properties for some common rock types and materials

Material Density Youngs modulus Poissons ratio Unconf. compr. Tensile strength
103 (kg/m3 ) E (GPa) strength C0 (MPa) T0 (MPa)

Unconsolidated 1.51.7 0.010.1 0.45

sands
Sandstone 2.02.65 0.130 00.45 1250
Clay 1.92.1 0.060.15 0.40 0.20.5
Shale 2.32.8 0.470 00.30 2250
High porosity 1.41.7 0.55 0.050.35 415
chalk
Low porosity 1.72.0 530 0.050.30 1040
chalk
Basalt 2.72.9 50100 0.20.3 200350 1015
Granite 2.62.8 585 0.10.34 50350 515
Dolomite 2.43.2 10100 00.5 40350
Limestone 1.42.9 2100 00.3 5250
Gneiss 2.73.1 40100 0.10.3 50250
Marble 2.73.2 590 00.3 50250
Ice 0.9 8 0.35
Steel 7.9 200 0.28 220900 3501200

Yield strength.
438 ROCK PROPERTIES

TABLE A.2 Static mechanical properties for some specific rocks

Material Density Youngs modulus Poissons ratio Unconf. compr. Tensile strength
103 (kg/m3 ) E (GPa) strength C0 (MPa) T0 (MPa)

Red 1.92.0 1.8 14 0.40.7

Wildmoor
sandstone 1.92.0 1.3 7 0.40.7
Weak reservoir 1.9 0.4 0.45 1
sandstone
(North Sea)
Berea sandstone 2.18 20 0.38 74
St. Peter 2.34 410 0.050.10 37
sandstone
Weak shale 2.35 1 6
(North Sea)
Pierre shale I 2.372.39 0.771.12 0.350.37 7.513.9
Shale (El Paso) 2.47 26 0.10 115
Bedford 2.21 29 0.29 51 1.6
limestone
Solenhofen 2.62 64 0.29 245 4.0
limestone
Hackensack 2.59 26 0.22 123 3.0
siltstone
Nevada Tuff 1.61 5.0 0.21 24 1.4
Rock salt 2.16 5 >0.5 21 0.8
(Diamond
crystal)
Schist 2.81 21 0.31 55 0.6
(Luther Falls) 2.82 58 0.18 83 5.2

Loaded perpendicular to bedding.

 Loaded parallel to bedding.
ROCK PROPERTIES 439

TABLE A.3 Density, elastic moduli and sound velocities for some common materials

Material Density Bulk modulus Shear modulus P-wave velocity S-wave velocity
103 (kg/m3 ) K (GPa) G (GPa) vp (km/s) vs (km/s)

Calcite 2.71 74.0 27.5 6.39 3.18

Quartz () 2.65 37.5 41.0 5.90 3.94
Muscovite 2.79 5262 3141 5.786.46 3.333.84
(mica)
Biotite 3.053.12 4160 1242 4.356.8 2.003.70
Feldspar 2.63 76 26 4.68 2.39
(average)
Pyrite 4.93 147.5 132.5 8.10 5.18
Dolomite 2.87 7695 4552 6.937.34 3.964.23
Barite 4.50 53 22 4.29 2.22
Olivine 3.32 130 80 8.54 5.04
Steel 7.9 198205 5780 5.96.3 2.73.2
Aluminium 2.7 7798 2326 6.37.0 2.93.1
Water (fresh) 1.00 2.25 1.50
Ice 0.9 1.31.7
Crude oil (room 0.71.1 1.22.8 1.31.7
temp.)
Air 0.14 103 0.15 103 0.33
(atmospheric
press.)
Plexiglass 1.2 2.55 1.28
Ethanol 0.79 0.89 1.06
440 ROCK PROPERTIES

TABLE A.4 Sound velocities for some common rock types

Material Density P-wave velocity S-wave velocity Conditions

103 (kg/m3 ) vp (km/s) vs (km/s)

Sand, dry, loose 1.51.7 0.31.0 0.050.4 dry, from surface to 50 m depth
Sand, dry 1.61.7 1.01.7 0.40.9 dry, loaded from 1 to 50 MPa
Sand, wet, loose 1.82.2 1.52.0 0.050.4 saturated, from surface to 50 m
depth
Sandstone, 2.02.65 1.84.5 1.03.0 dry, various porosities
competent
Berea sandstone 2.2 3.84.0 2.32.4 brine saturated, confined
Sandstone, 1.72.0 1.02.0 0.61.2 dry, various porosities
weak
Red Wildmoor 2.0 1.72.0 1.11.3 dry, confined
sst.
Clay 1.92.1 1.51.6 0.10.3 saturated, from surface to 50 m
depth
London Clay, 2.0 1.71.8 0.81.1 saturated
deep
Shale 2.32.8 1.64.5 0.73.0 saturated, various porosities
Weak shale, 1.82.3 2.42.6 1.21.3 saturated, unconfined
North Sea
Chalk, high 1.41.7 1.82.6 1.01.5 saturated, field and lab. data
porosity
Chalk, low 1.72.4 2.65.0 1.53.5 saturated, field and lab. data
porosity
Limestone 2.42.7 3.56.0 2.03.5 various
Basalt 2.52.9 3.55.5 1.73.4 dry & saturated; stress 0100 MPa
Granite 2.62.7 5.56.5 3.03.5 dry; stress 0100 MPa
ROCK PROPERTIES 441

TABLE A.5 Thermal properties for some rocks and materials

Material Linear thermal Conditions Thermal Conditions Heat Conditions

exp. coeff. conductivity capacity
106 (K1 ) W m1 K1 J kg1 K1

Berea sst. 13 100200 C 2.34 20 C, dry

Bandera sst. 20 100200 C 1.70 20 C, dry
Boise sst. 17 100200 C 1.47 20 C, dry
Sandstone 8241000 25 C, dry
Pierre shale 1.301.70 3575 C, 124 MPa
saturated
Mancos shale 1320 2075 C 1.502.25 3580 C, 124 MPa
07 MPa saturated
Queenston shale 1113 2075 C 1.741.95 3590 C, 124 MPa
03.5 MPa saturated
Quartz c 18 20100 C
c 10 20100 C 13 0 C 735 0 C
Calcite c 24 20100 C
c 5 20100 C
Aluminium 23.1 25 C 200 27 C 900 25 C
Water 70 20 C 0.6 20 C 4182 20 C

Relative to crystallographic axis.

Computed from volumetric expansion.