## 1 Introduction  
Natural stones are widely used as building stones and have been available for human use since prehistoric ages. These stones mainly comprise marble, sandstone, limestone, etc. [1]. They can be shaped into the form of blocks, slabs, or tiles for decorative purposes. In ancient civilizations, building stones were mostly used for monuments, building materials, and decoration [2]. Building stones are available in a wide variety of colors and textures, depending on the mineral composition of the rock. Nature has produced stones with different engineering characteristics; those chosen for dimension stones and construction materials must meet the highest standards to ensure the best work in all conditions [3]. The type of rock used as a building stone is influenced by different factors, from its physical and chemical properties to its innovative characteristics [4]. Building stones are extracted or mined from different parts of the Earth's surface [5]. Building stones have been extensively used as aggregates and dimension stones [6]. Building stones largely depend on the mineral composition of the rock. Their quality and characteristics may be extensively affected by tectonic activity. Tectonic forces may affect the lithology, mineral composition, and rock strength. In addition, the suitability of the rock as a building stone is determined by the regional geology of its region [7]. [PERSON] et al. [8] described a variety of factors to determine the quality of marble rock suitable for building stones. These factors include the rock's physical properties, volume, transportation costs, and ease of quarrying [9; 10]. Marble is a crystalline metamorphic rock composed mainly of calcite or dolomite, and it is mostly used for monumental and decorative purposes as it can be shaped into blocks, slabs, and tiles [11; 12]. The use of marble as building and dimension stones is a global practice due to its availability in different colors and its polished surface, durability, and ease of processing [5; 13]. Marbles that are colorless or light-colored are considered the most elegant, classy, and decorative natural stone, and are widely used in buildings and artistic sculptures [14; 15]. Crushed marble is also used as a fine construction aggregate, in mortars, and in paints as it is a good filler and extender, has high brightness, and is weather-resistant [16]. White marble and limestone are used in the manufacturing of statues, monuments, and architectural work [17]. Assessment of the geotechnical properties of rocks used as building and dimension stones has generally been reported in previous studies [10; 18]. These properties are affected by many factors such as weathering, texture, porosity, fissures, petrography, and mineralogy [19; 20; 21; 22; 23]. The marble industry in Pakistan has enormous potential to contribute significantly to the economic growth of the country. The aim of this study is to detail the fundamental characteristics of Pakistan's well-known marble resources. The main objective of the current study is to perform a geotechnical investigation based on the physico-mechanical properties of the marble available in various quarries in the Chitral area that is used for decorative purposes. For optimal utilization in construction applications, several geological and engineering features of the rocks were evaluated. The physico-mechanical properties of a rock are very important for the selection of rocks as dimension stones [24]. High values of tensile and compressive strength indicate the durability of the marble as a dimension stone [12; 25]. Moreover, the accessibility and ease of quarrying is another factor to consider, and the dimension stone must meet the standards for strength, porosity, workability, appearance, and durability [1; 3; 26; 27]. Petrographic analysis was used to characterize the quality of the rock based on the type of mineral and the grain texture formed during different geological times in a particular environment [28; 29; 30; 31; 32]. [PERSON] et al.