Relationship between textural, petrophysical and mechanical properties of quartzites: A case study from northwestern Himalaya

The quantification of various textural parameters and petrophysical & mechanical properties of quartzites located in the Lesser and Higher Himalayas has been carried out. A dimensionless quantity ‘Texture Coefficient’ representing rock texture incorporates various textural parameters like grain shape, orientation, degree of grain interlocking and relative proportion of grain and matrix (packing density) has been measured, besides shape preferred orientation and grain suturing (fractal dimension). These have been correlated with the seismic properties like P- and S- wave velocities and attenuation characteristics and unconfined compressive strength. It has been noted that seismic velocity in rocks is a function of various textural parameters, like with the increase of aspect ratio, grain size and shape preferred orientation, velocity increases and with the increase of suturing (fractal dimension) the velocity decreases. The Texture Coefficient is noted to be inversely proportion to the velocity and there exits strong positive relationships (R = 0.71) between Texture Coefficient and the unconfined compressive strength. However the relation between the velocity and the unconfined compressive strength is meaningless.

► The Texture Coefficient (TC) is noted to be inversely proportion to the velocity.
► There exists positive relation between TC and unconfined compressive strength (UCS).
► However the relation between the velocity and UCS is meaningless.
► Attenuation characteristic is inversely proportional to the aspect ratio and SPO.