Physico-thermal and mechanical properties of Sanliurfa limestone, Turkey

Sanliurfa limestone is becoming increasingly popular for both interior and exterior building applications in the local area in south east Turkey, being easy to cut and shape and suitable for many purposes. Although these limestones are low cost construction materials, they are not widely used elsewhere due to the lack of data regarding their chemical, physico-thermal and mechanical properties and the requirement for highly skilled labour. A total of 264 samples of Sanliurfa limestone from four quarries were tested to determine their physico-thermal and mechanical properties. The data obtained confirmed they satisfy the main international standards for the use of limestone in the construction industry.