On the decay of fracture toughness of sandstone subjected to freeze–thaw cycles

Abstract

AbstractIn cold regions, progressive cracking, caused by freeze–thaw cycles, plays an important role in deteriorating engineering rock mass. Employing central cracked Brazilian disks (CCBDs) of sandstone, this paper aims at investigating the variations of falling rate among different modes of fracture toughness exposed to freeze–thaw cycles and the applicability of fracture criterion in predictions. Results revealed that different modes of fracture toughness exhibited comparable descending trends after varied freeze–thaw cycles. There was an agreement between the predictions via the generalized maximum tangential stress criterion (GMTS) and the test results. In specified conditions, the GMTS criterion incorporating fracture process zone of 0 freeze–thaw cycle can be applied to estimations for different freeze–thaw cycles. With increasing freeze–thaw cycles the fractal dimensions of mode I and mixed‐mode I–II fracture surfaces displayed a growing trend, indicating that the fracture surfaces became rougher and more complicated.