Rock mass block quality designation for marble production

• Block Quality Designation ratio has been proposed for dimension stone production.
• BQD ratio can be used for criteria making decision to undertake dimension stone quarrying.
• It is determined by using 1-dimensional discontinuity spacing measurements.

Discontinuity spacing measurements are generally carried out along scan lines and/or along the rock mass exposures, quarry benches and/or bore cores for assessing the rock mass quality. Rock mass block quality designation ratio (BQD) has been defined for assessment of the block production capacity of rock mass as BQD% = ΣS≥1m/L Where, ΣS≥1m cumulative of the discontinuity spacing equal and/or greater 1.0 m. L, Scan line length (m). Assessment of the discontinuity spacing measurements made along 2198 m long the scan lines in 6 working and five abandoned limestone quarries in Karaburun area in Western Turkey, have shown that while the working quarries had BQD ratios > 50% and the abandoned quarries had BQD ratios < 50%. Thus, based on our findings the BQD ratio has been proposed to be used for rock mass assessment for the block production in limestone and/or similar quarries