Effects of high temperatures on dynamic rock fracture

Abstract The dynamic fracture toughness of Fangshan gabbro and Fangshan marble subjected to high temperature was measured by means of the split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) system. The specimens for measuring the fracture toughness were manufactured according to the requirements for the Short Rod (SR) specimen suggested by ISRM. Two cases were investigated: (1) the SR specimens of the gabbro and marble were fractured at high temperature (100–330°C), and (2) the specimens of the rocks were first pre-heat-treated at 200°C for the marble and 600°C for the gabbro, and then fractured at room temperature. The experimental results showed that under dynamic loading the fracture toughness of both the gabbro and the marble tested in the above-mentioned cases increased with increasing loading rates. The relationship between the fracture toughness and the loading rates in the two cases is similar to that obtained in the room temperature environment, i.e., without high temperature. (This is defined as the third case.) It can be concluded that temperature variation affects the dynamic fracture toughness of the two rocks to a limited extent within the temperature ranges tested. This is different from the results obtained under the static loading condition. Furthermore, by means of the scanning electronic microscope (SEM), the vertical sections of the fracture surfaces for some gabbro specimens were examined. In addition, the fractal dimensions of the fracture surfaces of some specimens were measured by means of fractal geometry. The results showed that under dynamic loading: (1) macro-crack branching near the fracture surfaces was universal; (2) the fractal dimensions increased with increasing loading rates; (3) in the sections of the specimens tested at high temperature there were many micro-cracks that were probably induced by thermal cracking. On the basis of the above macro- and micro-experimental investigation, an energy analysis of the process of dynamic rock fracture was performed. The results showed that the energy utilisation in dynamic fracture was much lower than that in static fracture.

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