ABSTRACT
Due to the fact that the estimation of the triaxial parameters is very important in any geotechnical project, many attempts have become with the aim of their determination. In spite of its relative simplicity, triaxial tests are time consuming, expensive, and require a large number of well prepared (regularly shaped) rock specimens and suitable testing procedures. For this reason, they cannot be easily determined in rocks which are thinly bedded, highly fractured, weak, and so indirect, fast, practical, easy and economical ways should be used such as the correlation of them with some other characteristics which are calculated easily. The aim of this study is to apply correlation analysis to investigate the relationships between physical, dynamic and mechanical characteristics and triaxial parameters for ultramafic rocks. Thus, sixteen samples, taken from the western part of Othrysmt (ten samples) and the Kallidromomt (six samples, central Greece), were tested and the relations among the properties were described by simple regression analyses. The study reveals strong negative, logarithmic correlations between the effective porosity and triaxial parameters (c, φ). Positive, linear relationships are also indicated between wave velocities, apparent cohesion and friction angle, while the increase of serpentinization percentage causes decrease of the c, φ. Both dry unit weight and Schmidt Hammer Values are logarithmically affected with c, φ. The point load strength index and apparent cohesion and friction angle are strongly correlated by both logarithmic and linear functions, but logarithmic trends present higher determination coefficients.