Dynamic behaviors of water-saturated and frozen sandstone subjected to freeze-thaw cycles

In high-altitude cold areas, freeze-thaw (F-T) cycles induced by day-night and seasonal temperature changes cause numerous rock mass slope engineering disasters. To investigate the dynamic properties of rock in the natural environment of a high-altitude cold area, standard specimens were drilled from the slope of the Jiama copper mine in Tibet, and dynamic compression tests were performed on water-saturated and frozen sandstone with different numbers of F-T cycles (0, 10, 20, 30, and 40) by the split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) system with a cryogenic control system. The influence of water-saturated and frozen conditions on the dynamic performance of sandstone was investigated. The following conclusions are drawn: (1) With increasing strain rate, the attenuation factor (la) of water-saturated sandstone and the intensifying factor (lambda(i)) of frozen sandstone linearly increase. As the number of F-T cycles increases, the dependence factor (lambda(d)) of water-saturated sandstone linearly decreases, whereas the ld of frozen sandstone linearly increases. (2) The prediction equation of the dynamic compressive strength of water-saturated and frozen sandstone is obtained, which can be used to predict the dynamic compressive strength of sandstone after various F-T cycles based on the strain rate. (3) The mesoscopic mechanism of water-saturated and frozen sandstone's dynamic compressive strength evolution is investigated. The water softening effect causes the dynamic compressive strength of water-saturated sandstone to decrease, whereas the strengthening effect of pore ice causes it to increase. (4) The decrease in the relative dynamic compressive strength of water-saturated sandstone and the increase in the relative dynamic compressive strength of frozen sandstone can be attributed to the increased porosity. (C) 2023 Institute of Rock and Soil Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Automated summary

This study investigates the dynamic properties of sandstone under water-saturated and frozen conditions in high-altitude cold areas. The research provides insights into the influence of freeze-thaw cycles on the dynamic compressive strength and offers a prediction equation for the dynamic strength based on the strain rate. The study also examines the mesoscopic mechanism of the strength evolution in water-saturated and frozen sandstone.