Geology and Engineering Geology of Granites at Grik-Baling Route, Northern Peninsular Malaysia

Abstract

Previous studies on the igneous rock in Grik and Baling area has classified the rock as a part of Bintang batholith, Main Range Granite Province of Peninsular Malaysia. This research is aimed to study the geology of the igneous rock along the route and its engineering geology. Petrographic, XRF and XRD analyses have been conducted to identify the geology of the igneous rock. Schmidt hammer rebound tests, uniaxial compressive strength and Brazillian tensile strength test were conducted to determine the engineering properties of the igneous rock. Discontinuity survey was conducted to collect discontinuity properties and to perform rock mass rating (RMR) and slope mass rating (SMR) determinations. Igneous rock in the study area is classified as coarse grain, porphyritic biotite granite (main rock type) which is the typical texture of Main Range Granite with minor equigranular granite. Strength test and rock mass classifications were conducted only on the main rock type: porphyritic biotite granite. The rock mass has Schmidt rebound value, uniaxial compressive strength and indirect tensile strength of 41, 50.19MPa and 7.58MPa respectively. RMR of the rock mass is 77 which classify the rock mass into a good rock. However, SMR of the rock mass is 26 which fall in the category of poor and unstable rock slope with wedge failure being the most critical type of failure.