Samples of eastern black shale (Kettle Point oil shales, Ontario) were subjected to extensive mineralogical and geomechanical tests. We prove that the mineralogy, as measured by the ratio of quartz to illite, controls strength and deformation properties, and the organic material plays no significant role. The reason is that increasing clay content dilutes the rigid quartz–quartz grain contacts that are responsible for the high strengths and stiff behavior. Tests of temperature effects on point load strength of another low organic content oil shale confirm that organic matter is not important to mechanical properties in matrix-supported shales. Key words: shale, mineralogy, Brazilian test, triaxial strength, organic content, slake durability, thermogravimetry.
Effects of the loading rate and cyclic loading on the strength and deformation properties of a geosynthetic
