Experimental study on the effects of hydrochemistry and periodic changes in temperature and humidity on sandstone weathering in the Longshan Grottoes

Abstract Changes in precipitation, temperature and humidity can lead to the weathering of rock masses in grottoes; these changes are common in sandstone grottoes. To simulate this cyclic process, different salt solutions were designed according to the main precipitated components. Sandstone specimen...

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Main Authors: Bo Sun, Xingyue Li, Kai Cui, Jie Hong, Rui Chen, Chen Jia, Ningbo Peng
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SpringerOpen 2023-08-01
Series:Heritage Science
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s40494-023-01021-3
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author Bo Sun
Xingyue Li
Kai Cui
Jie Hong
Rui Chen
Chen Jia
Ningbo Peng
author_facet Bo Sun
Xingyue Li
Kai Cui
Jie Hong
Rui Chen
Chen Jia
Ningbo Peng
author_sort Bo Sun
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Changes in precipitation, temperature and humidity can lead to the weathering of rock masses in grottoes; these changes are common in sandstone grottoes. To simulate this cyclic process, different salt solutions were designed according to the main precipitated components. Sandstone specimens taken from Longshan Grottoes were soaked in these solutions for 48 h and then placed in a simulated environment with temperature and humidity changes for 5 cycles (50 h) to study the effects of hydrochemical, temperature and humidity changes on the sandstone. Physical indexes, such as mass, wave velocity, surface hardness and tensile strength, of the rock samples were measured every three cycles, and the damage characteristics and mechanisms of the sandstone were discussed based on SEM and XRD test results. The results showed that the macroindicators and microstructures of the samples gradually decreased with increasing number of cycles. The physical indexes of the rock samples in different solutions changed at different rates, the changes in surface hardness and tensile strength were consistent, and the responses were less sensitive to deterioration than to longitudinal wave velocity. In different solutions, the microstructures and mineral compositions of the samples showed different trends with increasing number of cycles. This damage was caused by a combination of various actions, such as feldspar dissolution, chemical erosion, water scouring, clay mineral expansion and disintegration, and salt crystallization, which increased the number of pores, enlarged the holes and expanded the cracks inside the rock samples.
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spelling doaj.art-1f41b8386fff46718a354a2e1203a72a2023-11-26T13:58:10ZengSpringerOpenHeritage Science2050-74452023-08-0111111410.1186/s40494-023-01021-3Experimental study on the effects of hydrochemistry and periodic changes in temperature and humidity on sandstone weathering in the Longshan GrottoesBo Sun0Xingyue Li1Kai Cui2Jie Hong3Rui Chen4Chen Jia5Ningbo Peng6Northwest Research Institute Limited Company of China Railway Engineering CorporationNorthwest Research Institute Limited Company of China Railway Engineering CorporationKey Laboratory of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation in Civil Engineering, Lanzhou University of TechnologyNorthwest Research Institute Limited Company of China Railway Engineering CorporationNorthwest Research Institute Limited Company of China Railway Engineering CorporationTaiyuan Cultural Relics Protection and Research InstituteFaculty of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Huaiyin Institute of TechnologyAbstract Changes in precipitation, temperature and humidity can lead to the weathering of rock masses in grottoes; these changes are common in sandstone grottoes. To simulate this cyclic process, different salt solutions were designed according to the main precipitated components. Sandstone specimens taken from Longshan Grottoes were soaked in these solutions for 48 h and then placed in a simulated environment with temperature and humidity changes for 5 cycles (50 h) to study the effects of hydrochemical, temperature and humidity changes on the sandstone. Physical indexes, such as mass, wave velocity, surface hardness and tensile strength, of the rock samples were measured every three cycles, and the damage characteristics and mechanisms of the sandstone were discussed based on SEM and XRD test results. The results showed that the macroindicators and microstructures of the samples gradually decreased with increasing number of cycles. The physical indexes of the rock samples in different solutions changed at different rates, the changes in surface hardness and tensile strength were consistent, and the responses were less sensitive to deterioration than to longitudinal wave velocity. In different solutions, the microstructures and mineral compositions of the samples showed different trends with increasing number of cycles. This damage was caused by a combination of various actions, such as feldspar dissolution, chemical erosion, water scouring, clay mineral expansion and disintegration, and salt crystallization, which increased the number of pores, enlarged the holes and expanded the cracks inside the rock samples.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40494-023-01021-3Longshan GrottoesSandstoneChange in temperature and humidityWater-chemical environmentWeathering
spellingShingle Bo Sun
Xingyue Li
Kai Cui
Jie Hong
Rui Chen
Chen Jia
Ningbo Peng
Experimental study on the effects of hydrochemistry and periodic changes in temperature and humidity on sandstone weathering in the Longshan Grottoes
Heritage Science
Longshan Grottoes
Sandstone
Change in temperature and humidity
Water-chemical environment
Weathering
title Experimental study on the effects of hydrochemistry and periodic changes in temperature and humidity on sandstone weathering in the Longshan Grottoes
title_full Experimental study on the effects of hydrochemistry and periodic changes in temperature and humidity on sandstone weathering in the Longshan Grottoes
title_fullStr Experimental study on the effects of hydrochemistry and periodic changes in temperature and humidity on sandstone weathering in the Longshan Grottoes
title_full_unstemmed Experimental study on the effects of hydrochemistry and periodic changes in temperature and humidity on sandstone weathering in the Longshan Grottoes
title_short Experimental study on the effects of hydrochemistry and periodic changes in temperature and humidity on sandstone weathering in the Longshan Grottoes
title_sort experimental study on the effects of hydrochemistry and periodic changes in temperature and humidity on sandstone weathering in the longshan grottoes
topic Longshan Grottoes
Sandstone
Change in temperature and humidity
Water-chemical environment
Weathering
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s40494-023-01021-3
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