Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Effects of Test Temperature and Low Temperature Thermal Cycling on the Dynamic Tensile Strength of Granitic Rocks

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This paper presents an experimental procedure for the characterization of the granitic rocks on a Mars-like environment. To gain a better understanding of the drilling conditions on Mars, the dynamic tensile behavior of the two granitic rocks was studied using the Brazilian disc test and a Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar. The room temperature tests were performed on the specimens, which had gone through thermal cycling between room temperature and − 70 °C for 0, 10, 15, and 20 cycles. In addition, the high strain rate Brazilian disc tests were carried out on the samples without the thermal cyclic loading at test temperatures of − 30 °C, − 50 °C, and − 70 °C. Microscopy results show that the rocks with different microstructures respond differently to cyclic thermal loading. However, decreasing the test temperature leads to an increasing in the tensile strength of both studied rocks, and the softening of the rocks is observed for both rocks as the temperature reaches − 70 °C. This paper presents a quantitative assessment of the effects of the thermal cyclic loading and temperature on the mechanical behavior of studied rocks in the Mars-like environment. The results of this work will bring new insight into the mechanical response of rock material in extreme environments.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abbey W, Anderson R, Beegle L, Hurowitz J, Williford K, Peters G, Warner N (2019) A look back: the drilling campaign of the Curiosity rover during the Mars Science Laboratory's Prime Mission. Icarus 319:1–13

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barlow NG (2008) Mars: an introduction to its interior, surface and atmosphere. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Baud P, Wong TF, Zhu W (2014) Effects of porosity and crack density on the compressive strength of rocks. Int J Rock Mech Mini Sci 67:202–211

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brace W (1961) Dependence of fracture strength of rocks on grain size. The 4th U.S. symposium on rock mechanics. University Park, Pennsylvania: USRMS

  • Dai F, Huang S, Xia K (2010) Some fundamental issues in dynamic compression and tensile tests of rock using Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar. Rock Mech Rock Eng 43(6):657–666

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DeKock T, Boone M, Schryver TD, Stappen JV, Masschaele HD, Cnudde V (2015) A pore-scale study of fracture dynamics in rock using X-ray micro-CT under ambient freeze-thaw cycling. Environ Sci Technol 49(5):2867–2874

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eslami J, Walbert C, Beaucour AL, Bourges A, Noumowe A (2018) Influence of physical and mechanical properties on the durability of limestone subjected to freeze–thaw cycles. Constr Build Mater 162:420–429

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Feder J (1988) Fractals (physics of solids and liquids). Plenum Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Fener M, Ince I (2015) Effects of the freeze–thaw (F–T) cycle on the andesitic rocks (Sille-Konya/Turkey) used in construction building. J Afr Earth Sc 109:96–106

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goodman R (1989) Introduction to rock mechanics. Wiley, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Gorham D, Wu X (1997) An empirical method of dispersion correction in the compressive Hopkinson bar test. J Phys IV 7(C3):223–228

    Google Scholar 

  • Haney M, Shakoor A (1994) The relationship between tensile and compressive strengths for selected sandstones as influenced by index properties and petrographic characteristics. In: Proceedings of 7th international IAEG congress, Lisbon, pp 493–500

  • Huang S, Liu Q, Cheng A, Liu Y (2018) A statistical damage constitutive model under freeze-thaw and loading for rock and its engineering application. Cold Reg Sci Technol 145:142–150

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hudson J, Brown E, Rummel F (1972) The controlled failure of rock discs and rings loaded in diametral compression. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 9(2):241–248

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ince I, Fener M (2016) A prediction model for uniaxial compressive strength of deteriorated pyroclastic rocks due to freeze–thaw cycle. J Afr Earth Sc 120:134–140

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jet Propulsion Laboratory (2007) Extreme planet takes its tools. NASA. https://mars.nasa.gov/mer/spotlight/20070612.html

  • Jia H, Xiang W, Krautblatter M (2015) Quantifying rock fatigue and decreasing compressive and tensile strength after repeated freeze–thaw cycles. Permafrost Periglacial Processes 26(4):368–377

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kranz R (1983) Microcracks in rocks: a review. Tetonophysics 20:449–480

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li J, Lu Q, Sun C (2009) An improved box-counting method for image fractal dimension estimation. Pattern Recongn 42(11):2460–2469

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liao W, Zhu H, Yang Y, Wu Y, Fan Y (2016) Study on low-temperature mechanical properties of rock under high strain rate. Rev Facult Ingenieria 31(5):197–208

    Google Scholar 

  • Ma Q, Ma D, Yao Z (2018) Influence of freeze-thaw cycles on dynamic compressive strength and energy distribution of soft rock specimen. Cold Reg Sci Technol 153:10–17

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mardoukhi A, Mardoukhi Y, Hokka M, Kuokkala V (2017a) Effects of heat shock on the dynamic tensile behavior of granitic rocks. Rock Mech Rock Eng 50(5):1171–1182

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mardoukhi A, Mardoukhi Y, Hokka M, Kuokkala V (2017b) Effects of strain rate and surface cracks on the mechanical behaviour of Balmoral Red granite. Philos Trans R Soc A 375(2085):20160179

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mu JQ, Pei XJ, Huang RQ, Rengers N, Zou XQ (2017) Degradation characteristics of shear strength of joints in three rock types due to cyclic freezing and thawing. Cold Reg Sci Technol 138:91–97

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • NASA (2019) Retrieved from NASA. https://www.nasa.gov/

  • Olsson WA (1974) Grain size dependence of yield stress in marble. J Geophys Res 79:4859–4862

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peters G, Carey EM, Anderson RC, Abbey WJ, Kinnett R, Watkins JA, Vasadava AR (2017) Uniaxial compressive strengths of rocks drilled at gale crater. Mars Geophys Res Lett 45(1):108–116

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prikryl R (2001) Some microstructural aspects of strength variation in rocks. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 38(5):671–682

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Selonen O, Ehrels C, Luodest H, Harma P, Karell F (2016) The Vehmaa rapakivi granite batholith in southwestern Finland—the production area for Balmoral Red granites. The Finnish Natural Stone Association, Helsinki

    Google Scholar 

  • Selonen O, Harma P, Ehlers C (2017) Natural stones of the Kuru granite batholith in south-central Finland. The Finnish Natural Stone Association, Helsinki

    Google Scholar 

  • Shewmon P, Zackay V (1961) Response of metals to high velocity deformation. Interscience Publishers Inc, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Sun Z, Scherer GW (2010) Effect of air voids on salt scaling and internal freezing. Cem Concr Res 40(2):260–270

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tugrul A, Zarif I (1999) Correlation of mineralogical and textural characteristics with engineering properties of selected granitic rocks from Turkey. Eng Geol 51(4):303–317

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Williams DR (2004) National Space Science Data Center. NASA. https://web.archive.org/web/20100612092806/http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/factsheet/marsfact.html

  • Wong R, Chau K, Wang P (1991) Microcracking and grain size effect in Yuen Long marbles. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci Geomech Abstr 33(5):479–485

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wray J, Hansen S, Dufek J, Swayze G, Murchie S, Selos F, Ghiorso M (2013) Prolonged magmatic activity on Mars Inferred from the detection of felsic rocks. Nat Geosci 20:1013–1017

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Xia K, Yao W (2015) Dynamic rock tests using split Hopkinson (Kolsky) bar system—a review. J Rock Mech Geotech Eng 7(1):27–59

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhou KP, Li B, Li JL, Deng HW, Bin F (2015) Microscopic damage and dynamic mechanical properties of rock under freeze–thaw environment. Trans Nonferrous Metals Soc China 25(4):1254–1261

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhu W, Baud P, Wong TF (2010) Micromechanics of cataclastic pore collapse in limestone. J Geophys Res 115:B4

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

Jenni and Antti Wihuri foundation and Robit Plc are greatly acknowledged for supporting this work.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Engineering Materials Science, Tampere University, POB 589, 33101, Tampere, Finland

    Ahmad Mardoukhi, Mikko Hokka & Veli-Tapani Kuokkala

  2. Institute of Physics and Astronomy, University of Potsdam, 14476, Golm, Germany

    Yousof Mardoukhi

Authors
  1. Ahmad Mardoukhi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Yousof Mardoukhi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Mikko Hokka
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Veli-Tapani Kuokkala
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ahmad Mardoukhi.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Mardoukhi, A., Mardoukhi, Y., Hokka, M. et al. Effects of Test Temperature and Low Temperature Thermal Cycling on the Dynamic Tensile Strength of Granitic Rocks. Rock Mech Rock Eng 54, 443–454 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-020-02253-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-020-02253-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation