Grain properties, grain-boundary interactions and their effects on the characteristics of marbles used as building stones

•Calcite grains of large size are mostly euhedral.•Porosity increases as the smoothness of the boundaries of grains disrupts.•Single-coursed twinning decreases tensile strength of marbles.•Böhme abrasion loss value increases as alteration and deformation does. In this study, the effects of relationships of micro-structure, grain size and grain boundary of 15 well-known worldwide marbles on some physical and mechanical properties (dry unit weight, porosity, uniaxial compressive strength, tensile strength) and on abrasion loss value were investigated in detail, being the first in terms of elaborateness in the literature considering the mentioned features. 10 different samples were tested for each marble in each test. Microscope images were grouped as intergranular properties (shape of grains, shape of grain aggregates, grain boundary type and pressure solution), intragranular properties (twinning and alteration) and deformation. All marbles which were tested were found to be of heteroblastic texture. Nine samples were monomineralic marble while six were polymineralic. It was determined that grain characteristics and grain boundary interaction affected dry unit weight, porosity, uniaxial compressive strength, tensile strength and abrasion loss value of each marble tested.