The cumulative damage effect induced by cyclic freeze-thaw actions on geomaterials is a significant cause of engineering failures in cold regions. To investigate the internal damage and failure mechanisms of rock-like materials under freeze-thaw cycles, uniaxial compression tests and AE (acoustic emission) tests under uniaxial loading were conducted on cement mortar specimens simulating rock behavior. The influence of the number of freeze-thaw cycles on the mechanical and AE characteristics of such materials was studied. The results show as follows. The peak strength and frost resistance coefficient of the specimens decrease as the number of freeze-thaw cycles increases, with a more pronounced reduction after exceeding 40 cycles. Freeze-thaw cycles exhibit a cumulative effect on the damage and failure of specimens. Specimens subjected to more freeze-thaw cycles suffer more severe damage under uniaxial compression. With the increase in the number of freeze-thaw cycles, the crack propagation path evolves from simplicity to complexity, and the failure mode gradually develops from cracking to fragmentation and block spalling. Freeze-thaw action causes the specimens to enter a “continuous damage release” state earlier. With an increase in the number of freeze-thaw cycles, the cumulative values of ringing and energy rise, indicating an accelerated development in both the scale and intensity of micro-fracturing activity. The amplitude distribution of acoustic emissions in freeze-thawed specimens generally exhibits a “V” shape, with the peak frequency gradually shifting toward the dominant frequency band. With the increase in the number of freeze-thaw cycles, both the acoustic emission ringing count and energy at the moment of specimen failure show an exponential growth trend. In the range of 40~60 freeze-thaw cycles, the damage undergoes a key turning point from “slow accumulation” to “accelerated development”. The findings provide an experimental basis for the design, construction, and safe operation of geotechnical engineering in cold regions.
LIANG Jin-ping, ZHOU Kun-ci, MENG Guan-xiong, YANG Zhan-kun, JING Hao-yong, LI Xiao-rui, SU Zhan-dong, ZHANG Jian-yong.
Acoustic Emission Characteristics of Damage and Failure of Rock-like Specimens under Freeze-Thaw Cycles[J].
Science Technology and Engineering, 2026, 26(26): 11428-11437 DOI:10.12404/j.issn.1671-1815.2506567
目前,中外众多学者聚焦于研究岩石在冻融循环过程中的物理及力学性质变化规律[4-6]。大量研究表明,冻融循环会导致岩石的质量、强度、弹性模量、黏聚力和内摩擦角等物理力学参数下降,同时岩石的破坏模式也会发生变化。Nicholson等[7]针对沉积岩开展不同温度下的循环冻融试验,得到10种不同沉积岩破坏时所经历的冻融循环次数。周科平等[8]发现了冻融循环后花岗岩单轴抗压强度和冻融系数明显降低,并采用核磁共振测试手段获得了冻融循环后岩样的孔隙空间分布情况。Bayram[9]对寒区自然岩石经历冻融循环后的强度损失进行了研究,建立了适合特定石灰石冻融循环后单轴抗压强度的预测方程式。张牡丹等[10]分析了超低温冻融循环后花岗岩的单轴压缩破坏模式,发现破坏模式主要表现为锥形破坏和柱状劈裂破坏。张慧梅等[11]针对红砂岩和页岩试件,开展了饱水状态下的冻融循环试验,认为冻融循环导致岩石物理力学性能的不可逆劣化。刘杰等[12]测试了砂岩在预加载损伤和无加载损伤条件下的纵波波速和电阻率,属于无损监测岩样损伤程度的范畴,通过这两个物理参数对劣化度进行分析比较。肖鹏等[13]基于扫描电子显微镜观测和三轴压缩试验,报道了砂岩质量损失、微观结构和力学特性,建立了冻融与围压耦合作用下岩石的损伤演化方程及细观损伤本构模型,揭示了耦合作用下岩石的损伤机制和破坏规律。Jihwan等[14]采用扫描电子显微镜(scanning electron microscope,SEM)和CT扫描技术,探索了冻融循环过程中冻融玄武岩、闪长岩及凝灰岩微观结构的变化。刘红岩等[15]开展了循环冻融和相似材料试验,对冻融条件下节理岩体的力学特性及损伤破坏机制进行了研究。上述研究结果对于理解岩石在冻融环境下的劣化过程提供了重要的理论基础和科学依据。
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