Experimental Methodology for Chemo-Mechanical Weathering of Calcarenites

摘要: Calcarenite is a soft rock strongly affected by weathering processes that markedly reduce the mechanical properties with time. As consequence, cliffs and underground cavities formed in calcaernites are frequently intense erosion instabilities. The field laboratory experimental results mainly show three peculiarities of calcarenite behavior: a) marked instantaneous reduction strength, up to 60% dry initial value, when water fills pores rock; b) slow strength after saturation; c) progressive weakening material during wetting drying cycles. In present work we concentrate on long term effect calcarenite. this context, an procedure necessary for calibration strain hardening-chemical softening elasto-plastic constitutive model presented. Suitably designed tests under controlled “weathering” conditions were performed order define critical variables can physically explain variety phenomena occurring material.