Characterization of Rock Strength in Gowa Regency: Implications for Development Planning

Gowa Regency is located in South Sulawesi Province that borders directly with Makassar. Geomechanics knowledge is a significant technical factor in civil works activities, particularly as development in Gowa Regency is increasingly complex. The rock condition variability in this area is relatively high, so it certainly has different rock characteristics and behavior. Development in the Gowa Regency area has also increased from year to year. Meanwhile, there is not enough database on the rock strength characteristics in Gowa Regency. Therefore, this research was conducted with the aim to provide an initial database so that it could support the subsequent geotechnical investigations in Gowa Regency. At this initial stage, a Uniaxial Compressive Strength (UCS) test was carried out in the laboratory on the types of igneous volcanic rocks, basalt intrusions, basalt porphyry, lapilli tuffs, and diorite found in Gowa Regency. In this article, the strength characteristics of these rocks will be provided. It is expected to be the first step in a geotechnical investigation to produce the database of rock strength characteristics in Gowa Regency. Hence, the development can be planned as well as possible by considering the geology and behavior of rocks as one of the technical factors.