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Engineering properties of sandstone heated to a range of high temperatures

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Abstract

This study is an investigation of the effect of high temperatures on the engineering properties of sandstone. The rock was first subjected to a range of temperatures such as 25 °C, 200 °C, 400 °C, 600 °C and 800 °C, and a series of porosity, unconfined compression, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscope tests were then performed on the heated specimens. In addition, sandstone specimens were also subjected to different numbers (i.e. 1, 2, 4, 6 and 10) of thermal cycles to better understand the effect of high temperature variations on rock behaviour. It was observed that high temperature in the range of 200–400 °C had some influence on the rock properties; that is, the porosity slightly decreased while the strength of the rock increased. However, for T ≥ 600 °C, there was a significant increase in rock porosity that correlated with a decrease in rock strength. The observed changes in engineering properties were attributed to the changes in rock mineralogy and microstructure that occurred at T > 600 °C where the major minerals underwent the process of phase transformation and a significant increase in rock cracking. Regardless of the temperature, almost all specimens failed in tension during unconfined compression. The effect of thermal cycles was seen in a progressive increase in rock porosity and a corresponding decrease in the elastic modulus of the rock.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge Miss Charlotte Cogan for her help with laboratory testing.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Engineering and Built Environment, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, Southport, QLD, 4222, Australia

    Savani Vidana Pathiranagei & Ivan Gratchev

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  1. Savani Vidana Pathiranagei
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  2. Ivan Gratchev
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Contributions

Savani Vidana Pathiranagei: conceptualisation, methodology, software, validation, formal analysis, investigation, resources, writing - original draft, visualisation

Ivan Gratchev: conceptualisation, methodology, validation, resources, writing - review and editing, supervision, project administration

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Correspondence to Savani Vidana Pathiranagei.

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Vidana Pathiranagei, S., Gratchev, I. Engineering properties of sandstone heated to a range of high temperatures. Bull Eng Geol Environ 80, 2415–2432 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-020-02065-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-020-02065-6

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