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Abstract. The Struganik limestone has been increasingly popular in recent years for interior and exterior
building applications, due to easy workability, low cost and multi purpose suitability. The quality of limestone
is determined by its mineralogical and textural characteristics and physico-mechanical properties. The
Struganik stone corresponds to marl, clayey limestone and limestone (micritic and allochemical). The lime-
stone is commonly layered, either thinly bedded or banked. Chert concretions are present in all varieties. The
Upper and the Lower Campanian age were deduced by the abundant foraminifers. Micrite limestone is an
autochthonous rock generated in a deep marine environment, whereas allochemical limestone is related to a
shallow marine environment but subsequently brought into a deep-water system.
The mass quality of the Struganik limestone is controlled by variability of lithology and layering. The val-
ues of physico-mechanical properties, such as density, porosity, water absorption and strength, were statisti-
cally analyzed and the obtained data were used to assess the rock quality in the quarry. The relationship among
the quantified properties is described by regression analyses and the equations of the best-fit line.
The Struganik limestone was qualified by its petrological and engineering properties coupled with statisti-
cal analysis. It satisfies the majority of the requirements of the Main National Standard as a decorative stone,
but with a limiting factor regarding abrasive resistance.
Key words: Struganik limestone, western Serbia, petrology, physico-mechanical properties, correlation,
rock quality.
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1 Department of Petrology and Geochemistry, Faculty of Mining and Geology, University of Belgrade, Djuina 7, 11000
Belgrade, Serbia. E-mails: violeta.gajic@rgf.bg.ac.rs; vesna.matovic@rgf.bg.ac.rs; nebojsa.vasic@rgf.bg.ac.rs;
danica.sreckovic@rgf.bg.ac.rs
88 VIOLETA GAJI, VESNA MATOVI, NEBOJA VASI & DANICA SREKOVI-BATOANIN
This quarry is irregular in shape, elongated in the In the wider area, Cretaceous sedimentation com-
NWSE direction and opened at approximately 0.32 menced with the Albian transgression. Terrigenous-
km2 (KIJANOVI 2007). The extraction in it, 30 years carbonate and carbonate sedimentation continued
old, is constrained by bedding planes in limestone from the Albian to the Maastrichtian, while flysch
(Fig. 2). The extraction comprises the removal of (Ljig flysch) sediments were deposited in the latest
large tiles and their cutting into natural-faced slabs Senonian (FILIPOVI et al. 1978).
usually 23 cm thick using a circular blade saw or According to data obtained during geological stud-
hand tools. These products, with natural appearance, ies in the villages Oseenica, Bree and Struganik,
are packed on a palette and ready for use as external MARKOVI & ANELKOVI (1953) considered the
and interior cladding. Their limited application is Struganik limestones as Senonian, i.e., as the latest
mainly caused by insufficient investigations of their Cretaceous products in this area. The Cretaceous sed-
properties needed to meet the requirements of archi- iments in the broader Struganik area were studied
tectural stone. recently by VASI et al. (2001), RABRENOVI et al.
(2002), GERZINA (2002), VASI et al. (2005), GAJI
(2007), DJERI et al. (2009), GAJI & VASI (2011).
FILIPOVI et al. (1978) distinguished within the Creta-
ceous sediments the following members: detrital lime-
stones, claystones and sandy marlstones of Albian
age, conglomerates and limestones of AlbianCeno-
manian age, Cenomanian conglomerates, limestones,
marlstones and sandstones, organogenic-detrital lime-
stones and marlstones of the CenomanianTuronian, a
limestone and limestonemarlstone series of Turoni-
anSenonian age and CampanianMaastrichtian fly-
sch (Fig. 3).
Geological setting
Geological setting of the Struganik area consists of
Mesozoic formations of Triassic, Jurassic and Creta-
ceous age, and of Quaternary sediments to a lesser ex-
tent. According to ANELKOVI (1978), the shallow Fig. 3. Simplified geological map of the Struganik area ba-
Triassic sediments were deposited over the Permian. sed on the Basic Geological map sheet Gornji Milanovac
Complex and geotectonic processes during the Jurassic 1:100000 (FILIPOVI et al. 1976). Legend: 1, Jurassic ophi-
led to the formation of the ophiolite mlange (SCHMID olite mlange; 2, Triassic shallow sediments; 3, Conglo-
et al., 2008). The Struganik area is part of the northern merate and limestone of AlbianCenomanian age; 4, Ce-
rim of the Maljen ophiolitic massif. This region is in the nomanian sediments; 5, Limestone and limestonemarl-
Vardar Zone Western Belt (Fig. 1; KARAMATA & KRSTI stone series of TuronianSenonian age; 6, CampanianMa-
1996; KARAMATA 2006; ROBERTSON et al. 2009). astrichtian flysch.
90 VIOLETA GAJI, VESNA MATOVI, NEBOJA VASI & DANICA SREKOVI-BATOANIN
The TuronianSenonian age of the Struganik lime- of the sample previously dried at 105 C to constant
stone is documented by the microfossils: Praeglo- weight (SRPS B.B8.010). The resistance to frost was
botruncana helvetica, Rotalipora sp., Globotruncana determined by 25 cycles of freezing to 25 C and thaw-
lapparenti coronata, etc. (FILIPOVI et al. 1978). A ing according to SRPS B.B8.001. The freezethaw tests
recent micropaleontological analysis, i.e., the associa- were performed on cubic samples to assess the durabil-
tion of pelagic globotruncanas, indicates that these ity of the limestone samples by determining their
sediments are of Campanian age (GAJI 2007). The strength and mass loss after 25 freezethaw cycles. The
age of radiolarians from the layer of smectite clay test procedure involved repeating of cycles where one
within the micrite limestone of the Struganik was cycle involved placing a water-saturated sample in a
defined as the Coniacian (VASI et al. 2005; DJERI et freezing chamber for 4 h, after which the sample was
al. 2009). totally immersed in water in a thawing tank for 2 h.
The limestone samples were tested for their me-
chanical properties (compressive strength and abra-
Material and methods sion resistance). The uniaxial compressive strength
tests (SRPS B.B8.012) were performed on both dry
Determination of petrological properties of the and water-saturated limestone samples (555 cm
Struganik limestone commenced with field observa- cube) and on samples that had been subjected to the
tions in the quarry and preparation of a detailed litho- freezethaw test. According to SRPS B.B8.015, cubic
logical column. A total of 33 samples were collected samples of 7 cm in size were used for determination
from the lowest level of the quarry for further labora- of the Bhme abrasion resistance. The test procedure
tory testing in order to assess the structural and chem- involved 440 cycles of sample abrasion using abra-
ical composition of the limestone (Fig. 2). A micro- sion dust (crystalline corundum) on a rotating steel
scopic analysis of thin sections by optical microscopy disc under an applied stress of 300 N.
was used to characterize the mineral composition, In order to evaluate the relationships between the
microtextural features (size and kind of allochem, physical and mechanical properties, different statisti-
grain orientation, etc.), and content and type of micro- cal analysis techniques (basic descriptive statistics,
fossils. Based on the field inspection and the results of correlation, bivariant regression analysis, etc.) were
a petrographic (optical) investigation, the rock sam- performed using the SPSS computer program. All the
ples were classified according to the FOLK (1959) and measured values of the technical properties were sta-
DUNHAM (1962) classification scheme. In the same tistical analyzed at the level of significance () of
samples, the contents of CaO and MgO were deter- 0.05. The descriptive statistical parameters included
mined by the complexometric method (EDTA titra- the mean, minimum and maximum value, standard
tion) using a standardized solution of 1 M EDTA as deviation, median, standard error, range, quartiles,
the titrant. standardized skewness, kurtosis, etc. The Kolmogo-
In order to examine the quality of the Struganik rov-Smirnov (non-parametric test for normality) was
limestone as a building stone, the physical (bulk and used with the level of significance set at 0.2.
apparent density, porosity, water absorption, frost re- Subsequently, the results of the laboratory measure-
sistance) and mechanical properties (compressive ments were correlated using the method of least
strength, abrasive resistance) of a total of 18 samples squares regression. Linear regression (y = ax+b) were
from the quarry were determined. The laboratory tests performed and the equations of the best-fit line, the
were performed according to the national standards regression coefficient (R2) and the 95 % confidence
(Unification of Serbian Standards) at the Laboratory limit were determined for the regressions.
of the Highway Institute of in Belgrade. The bulk den- Validation of the regression analyses was confirm-
sity is given as mass per unit of apparent volume. The ed by the Student t-test and by the test of variant
volume was determined by hydrostatic weighing of analysis (the F-test).
the specimens soaked and suspended in water under
atmospheric pressure (according to SRPS B.B8.032).
On powdery samples, the real densities were deter- Petrological properties
mined using a pycnometer with water as the displace- of the Struganik limestones
ment fluid. From the values for real and bulk density,
the total porosity was calculated (according to SRPS Struganik limestones are the latest Upper Creta-
B.B8.032). ceous sediments in this part of western Serbia. The
The specimens that were used for the determination limestones are best uncovered in the village Stru-
of the bulk density were also used for the determination ganik. Exploration were performed in the Struganik
of the water absorption, which was determined by quarry and a lithological column about 10 m tall was
measurement of the mass of water absorbed by the constructed (Fig. 4).
sample after immersion for 48 h at atmospheric pres- The limestones are massive and compact. Their
sure. It is expressed as a percentage of the initial mass uniform grayish color throughout the entire deposit is
Petrophysical and mechanical properties of the Struganik limestone (Vardar Zone, western Serbia) 91
Fig. 5. The appearance of the Struganik limestone. a, Beds of Struganik limestone. Thick bed of the allochemical-sparite
limestone with gradation (A). Beds of the micrite limestone (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7). Stylolitic boundary surface between beds
2 and 3. Concretional interlayer of black chert in bed 4; b, Bank of the allochemical limestone with well-developed Bouma
intervals a & b. Interval a is calcrudite with fragments of the micrite limestone (caught by turbidity flow). Interval b is
calcarenite. Along the boundary between a & b whitish concretional chert is developed; c, Upper bedding plane with ripple
marks in fine-grained calcarenite; d, Grouped tracks of life activities on the lower bedding plane in the Struganik limestone
(obscured origin); e, Test of Inoceramus in the micrite limestone.
sporadically disturbed by the presence of dark gray, nation. Allochemical limestone, the second lithologi-
grayish blue or whitish chert concretions. cal member, is related to a shallow marine environ-
The main lithological member is micrite limestone, ment. Subsequently, the shallow water allochems
which represents the autochthonous rock of deep were transported into a deep-water environment by
water, marine carbonate sedimentation (Fig. 5). turbidity currents to produce either beds or banks
Micrite limestones are layered in thick beds (Fig. 5a). (Fig. 5a) or sporadic packages composed of two or
The distinctive beds display notable horizontal lami- three beds. Allochem limestone carries textures that
Petrophysical and mechanical properties of the Struganik limestone (Vardar Zone, western Serbia) 93
are characteristic for the turbulent transport (particu- Micrite (orthochemical) limestone
lar intervals of the Bouma Sequence within the layers,
Fig. 5b). The micrite limestone is mainly composed of
Mechanical and biogenic textures are common on microcrystalline calcite micrite. Non-carbonaceous
the bedding planes in the Struganik limestone (Fig. compounds are clay minerals, organic matter and sub-
5c, Fig. 5d). Bedding planes in both of the mentioned ordinated silty material. According to the CaCO3 con-
limestones are often stylolitic (Fig. 5a). On the upper tent, micrite limestone refers to pure limestone, clayey
bedding planes in micrite limestones, Inoceramus can limestone and marlstone (Fig. 4). The least amounts
be found abundantly (Fig. 5e). of CaCO3 were determined inside the Lower Campa-
The third lithological member, concretional cherts, nian rocks (marlstone - 5560 % and clayey limestone
was produced by silification during diagenesis. The - 7085 %). This is, beside their micro paleontologi-
chert concretions are notable textural, as well as being cal characteristics, identifiable feature in respect to
a petrological feature of the Struganik limestone. The the Upper Campanian rocks (8694 %). The allochem
chert concretions are uniformly distributed through- (biogenic) component is represented by well-preserv-
out the whole column in both micrite and allochem- ed moulds of microorganisms. Pelagic foraminifers
sparite limestone (Fig. 5a, Fig. 5b). (globotruncana) are prevailing, but some calcispheres
The paleontological study of the microfauna (many and radiolarians were also registered. The micrite li-
foraminifers) indicates to Campanian age of the Stru- mestone could be defined by the amount of biogenic
ganik limestone (GAJI 2007). According to the ob- component, defined either as micrite and fossiliferous
served association, the first three meters of the column micrite (less than 10 % of biogenic allochem, Fig. 6a),
correspond to the Lower Campanian, whereas the or as biomicrite (biogenic allochem exceeding 10 %,
remaining 7 m of the column corresponds to the Fig. 6b). According to the DUNHAM classification
Upper Campanian. (1962), the micrite limestone belongs to Mudstone
and Wackestone.
Allochemical limestone
Depositional environmental
The Pelagic sediments, represented by marlstone,
clayey limestone and limestone, were deposited in the
Fig. 6. Photomicrographs of the micrite limestone: a, Bio- deeper parts of an Upper Cretaceous sea. All the men-
micrite; b, Fossiliferous micrite with globotruncana in the tioned sediments contain chert concretions, just like
middle. the Struganik limestone. The autochthonous sedi-
94 VIOLETA GAJI, VESNA MATOVI, NEBOJA VASI & DANICA SREKOVI-BATOANIN
Physico-mechanical properties
of the Struganik limestone
The results obtained from the statistical analyses of
the physico-mechanical values of the Struganik lime-
stone are given in Table 1. The real density of a rock
is one of its basic properties. It is influenced primari-
ly by the density of the minerals, their content and
amount of void space inside the rock (BELL & LIND-
SAY 1999). In the investigated samples of Struganik
limestone, the real density displayed little variation
and range from 2700 to 2720 kg/m3, with a mean
value of 2710 kg/m3. The bulk density also varied
slightly due to the low amount of void space and was
in range 2610 to 2680 kg/m3, with a mean value of
2650 kg/m3. All of the tested samples had a moderate
density according to BILBIJA & MATOVI (2009). The
values of the absolute porosity varied from 1.10 to
3.30 %. Central tendency parameters indicated a neg-
ative asymmetrical unimodal distribution of the
porosity, with the most frequency class (1.01.5 %) of
43 %. According to the mean value of 2.0 %, these
limestones generally have a low porosity, although in
some samples a moderate porosity was detected (BIL-
BIJA & MATOVI 2009). The obtained values of water
absorption (from 0.17 to 0.67 % with an average value
of 0.4 %) indicate a very low water absorption by the
Struganik limestone. All the investigated limestone
samples were resistance to frost. The mass loss after
freezing and thawing was low due to the low porosity
of the Struganik limestone.
The values of the central tendency for all the phys-
Fig. 7. Photomicrographs of the allochemical limestone: , ical parameters were similar and indicate to a sym-
Fine-grained intrabiosparite. In the middle of the photo is a metric, unimodal distribution conforming closely to a
stylolite seam marked with the accumulation of a sandy Gauss curve. The statistical parameters of the Kolmo-
component; b, Coarse-grained biosparite. gorov-Smirnov test confirmed that all the tested sam-
ples had a normal distribution of the measured values
of the physical properties (Dmax > Dcr, Table 1).
ments are marly limestone and marlstone of micrite The dry unconfined compressive strength values of
and biomicrite composition. The presence of weakly the limestones varied between 48 and 189 MPa, with
preserved radiolarians and silica sponges in these a mean value of 134 MPa (Table 2). Most of the tested
rocks indicates to their formation at depths deeper samples were very strong (strength > 150 MPa), while
than 200 m, while the partial replacement of the over a quarter of the samples were moderately strong
siliceous skeletons with calcite implies an alkaline according to the proposed strength classification of
environment, most probably with pH 8 during diage- BILBIJA & MATOVI (2009). The values of the saturated
nesis. The presence of concretional cherts indicates compressive compression strength were between 41 to
the presence of organogenic siliceous remains. The 177 MPa, with an average value of 120 MPa. The mean
association of rocks and fossil remains is indicative of of the water saturated samples was 10 % lower than
sedimentation related to a deep marine environment. that in the dry state, while after 25 freezethaw cycles,
The presence of layers and banks of allochemsparite, it had decreased by 4 % to 129 MPa (mean value),
calcarenite and calcrudite with characteristic textures indicating that the Struganik limestone is durable to
from the Bouma sequence suggests an intermittent freezing and thawing. The negligible decrease in the
supply of shallow-water material by turbid flows unconfined compressive strength reflects that the
along the continental slope, i.e., through the Bathyal amount of saturated water is not an important factor
Zone. for the strength reduction. A significant reduction in
It could be concluded that the Struganik limestone the strength appeared when the porosity of the lime-
was derived in a deep marine environment, through stone exceeds 3 % (the reduction was about 30 %).
deposition on a continental slope. The values of volume loss on wear (Bhme abrasion
Petrophysical and mechanical properties of the Struganik limestone (Vardar Zone, western Serbia) 95
value) varied from 13.5 to 23.2 cm3 per 50 cm2. In The results of regression analysis indicate to a pro-
terms of the mean value, this limestone is a hard to minent relationship between the dry compressive
moderately hard rock (BILBIJA & MATOVI 2009). strength (s) and the water equivalent (v). The trend
Table 1. Statistical parameters of physico-mechanical properties of the Struganik limestone. Legend: n, number of samples;
X, mean; Vmin, Minimum values; Vmax, maximum value; PX-95%, confidence intervals for the mean; M, median; Md, Mod;
R, range; Qi, quartile range; Q1, lower quartile; Q2, upper quartile; S2, variance; S, standard deviation; As, Skewness; Kt,
Kurtosis; SE, standard error; Dmax, value of the largest absolute difference between the observed and the expected cumula-
tive distributions; p, confidence interval; Dcr, critical value; , probability level.
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Petrophysical and mechanical properties of the Struganik limestone (Vardar Zone, western Serbia) 99
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