Properties of Dolerite

Dolerite is a type of fine-grained, dark-colored igneous rock that is often medium to coarse-grained. It’s commonly formed below the Earth's surface from the cooling of molten magma. Dolerite is primarily composed of minerals such as plagioclase feldspar, pyroxene, and sometimes olivine.

Image of an dolerite rock
Credit: James St. John, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The following table provides a list of dolerite properties in both SI and US customary/Imperial units at normal temperature and pressure (NTP).

Click on the icon to switch between Metric and Imperial units.

Table of Dolerite Properties
Physical Properties
Metric
Density2700 - 3000 kg/m3
Porosity1 - 2%
Mechanical PropertiesMetric
Young’s Modulus (E)53 - 77 GPa
Tensile Strength15 - 35 MPa
Compressive Strength151 - 185 MPa

Unless stated otherwise, all values are taken at room temperature (approximately 20°C or 68°F) and 1 atm pressure. (1 atm = 101,325 Pa)

References: 1) Cardarelli, François. Materials Handbook: A Concise Desktop Reference. Switzerland: Springer International Publishing, 2018. 2) CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 97th Edition. United Kingdom: CRC Press, 2016-2017. 3) A.M. Howatson, P.G. Lun, J.D. Todd, P.D. Engineering Tables and Data. United Kingdom: University of Oxford, Department of Engineering Science, 2009. 4) Stone: Building Stone, Rock Fill and Armourstone in Construction. United Kingdom: Geological Society, 1999.