Laboratory investigations on the mechanical properties degradation of granite under freeze-thaw cycles

To understand the deteriorate characteristics of granite in cold regions, the influences of freeze-thaw cycles on the mechanical properties need to be investigated. The rock specimens (biotite granite from Tibet in China) were frozen and thawed in a temperature and humidity controlled container where the temperature varied from +40 to -40 degrees C and the humidity was kept at 100% continuously. The freeze-thaw tests were conducted for one cycle including 4 h of freezing and 4 h of thawing, and the number of cycles was from 0 to 150. The deterioration of the specimens was examined by the changes of strength, deformation characteristics, elastic modulus, cohesive strength and internal frictional angle in a series of uniaxial and triaxial compression tests. The experimental results show that (1) the axial strain corresponding to the peak stress increases with an increasing of confining pressure and freeze-thaw cycles; (2) The compressive strength decayed exponentially with the number of freeze-thaw cycles, as well as elastic modulus and cohesive strength; (3) the internal frictional angle remained constant in the process of freeze-thaw cycles; (4) The interrelation among compressive strength, confining pressure and number of cycles can be described by Mohr-Coulomb strength criterion. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.