Water absorption process effect on strength of Ayazini tuff,such as the uniaxial compressive strength (UCS), flexural strength and freeze and thaw effect

Tuffs have been used as a construction material possibly since ancient times. In Afyonkarahisar, Turkey, there are numerous buildings constructed by tuff. Tuff has been a local construction material, during the Roman, Seljuk and Ottoman periods. Even though tuffs have relatively low durability and low strength values compared to marble, etc., they have survived with no major deterioration failures on many historical buildings. It has also been preferred because of its high porous texture, lightweight and easy shaping and process properties in the building sector. Naturally, it would be easily affected by water and humidity because of its porous structure. However, having this kind of structure leads to poor durability properties due to keeping water in it. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the physical and mechanical properties of the tuff quarried from the region and possible water effect, which may lead to degradation of its strength and durability of the material, thereby shortening the life span of the building structure used. Samples, which were tested after exposing to water and the freeze and thaw effects, were measured at a certain time. In this study, uniaxial compressive strength and flexural strength tests were conducted on test samples. The test results indicate that water may deteriorate the tuff’s strength properties and durability of the materials in due time.     

Pressure–temperature evolution of lawsonite eclogite in Sivrihisar; Tavşanlı Zone–Turkey

The Cretaceous blueschist belt, Tavşanlı Zone, representing the subducted and exhumed northern continental margin of the Anatolide–Tauride platform is exposed in Western Anatolia. The Sivrihisar area east of Tavşanlı is made up of tectonic units consisting of i) metaclastics and conformably overlying massive marbles (coherent blueschist unit), ii) blueschist-eclogite unit, iii) marble–calcschist intercalation and iv) metaperidotite slab. The metaclastics are composed of jadeite–lawsonite–glaucophane and jadeite–glaucophane–chloritoid schists, phengite phyllites, and calcschists with glaucophane–lawsonite metabasite layers. The blueschist-eclogite unit representing strongly sheared, deeply buried and imbricated tectonic slices of accreted uppermost levels of the oceanic crust with minor metamorphosed serpentinite bodies consists of lawsonite-bearing eclogitic metabasites (approximately 90% of the field), lawsonite eclogites, metagabbros, serpentinites, pelagic marbles, omphacite–glaucophane–lawsonite metapelites and metacherts. The mineral assemblage of the lawsonite eclogite (garnet + omphacite > 70%) is omphacite, garnet, lawsonite, glaucophane, phengite and rutile. Lawsonite eclogite lenses are enclosed by garnet–lawsonite blueschist envelopes.Textural evidence from lawsonite eclogites and country rocks reveals that they did not leave the stability field of lawsonite during subduction and exhumation. The widespread preservation of lawsonite in eclogitic metabasites and eclogites can be attributed to rapid subduction and subsequent exhumation in a low geothermal gradient of the oceanic crust material without experiencing a thermal relaxation. Peak P–T conditions of lawsonite eclogites are estimated at 24 ± 1 kbar and 460 ± 25 °C. These P–T conditions indicate a remarkably low geotherm of 6.2 °C/km corresponding to a burial depth of 74 km.