Unit Weight of Rocks
Unit weight or rock γ
Rock strength | Rock category (examples) | Unit weight of rock γ [kN/m3] |
Solid rock | most hard solid rock, intact, compact and dense quartz rock and basalt, other extraordinary hard rocks | 28.0 - 30.0 |
Highly hard rock | very hard granite rock, quartz porphyry, very hard granite, hard flinty shale, quartzite, very hard sand rock, and very hard calcite | 26.0 - 27.0 |
Hard rock | granite, very hard sandstone and calcite, quartzite lode, hard conglomerate, very hard ore, hard limestone, marble, dolomite, pyrite | 25.0 - 26.0 |
Rock | sandstone, ore, medium sandy shale, flagstone | 24.0 |
Medium rock | hard mudstone, softer sand rock, and calcite, chalky clay | 23.0 - 24.0 |
Soft rock | shale, soft limestone, chalk, salt rock, frozen ground, anthracite, marl, remolded sandstone, soft conglomerate, ground with fels | 22.0 - 26.0 |
Weak soil | compact clay, soil eluvium, black coal | 20.0 - 22.0
18.0 - 20.0 |