Reconnaissance geotechnical study of the Lucerne Granite, Maine
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Abstract
Physical properties, including density and strength, of the Lucerne Granite (Wing, 1958) vary because of inhomogeneities caused by fracturing and differences in texture. Two granitic facies were found: a coarse-grained variety in the southern part of the body and near the edges of the pluton and a medium-grained porphyritic variety in the central and northern sections. Point-load strength tests indicate that the medium-grained porphyritic granite is stronger than the coarse-grained porphyritic or non-porphyritic granite. Results of bulk and grain density tests suggest that rock strength in the weaker granite samples is controlled by microfractures.
In the pluton, joint trends changed from a scattered pattern in the north to a preferred orientation in the south. Because it has a simple joint pattern and is homogeneous in texture, the southern part of the Lucerne Granite is a more suitable area for excavation and fluid storage than the northern section.
Study Area
| Publication type | Report |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | USGS Numbered Series |
| Title | Reconnaissance geotechnical study of the Lucerne Granite, Maine |
| Series title | Open-File Report |
| Series number | 78-862 |
| DOI | 10.3133/ofr78862 |
| Year Published | 1978 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | U.S. Geological Survey |
| Description | ii, 20 p. |
| Country | United States |
| State | Maine |
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