Spatial gradient distributions of thermal shock-induced damage to granite

Abstract

In this study, we attempted to investigate the spatial gradient distributions of thermal shock-induced damage to granite with respect to associated deterioration mechanisms. First, thermal shock experiments were conducted on granite specimens by slowly preheating the specimens to high temperatures, followed by rapid cooling in tap water. Then, the spatial gradient distributions of thermal shock-induced damage were investigated by computed tomography (CT) and image analysis techniques. Finally, the influence of the preheating temperature on the spatial gradients of the damage was discussed. The results show that the thermal shock induced by rapid cooling can cause more damage to granite than that induced by slow cooling. The thermal shock induced by rapid cooling can cause spatial gradient distributions of the damage to granite. The damage near the specimen surface was at a maximum, while the damage inside the specimen was at a minimum. In addition, the preheating temperature can significantly influence the spatial gradient distributions of the thermal shock-induced damage. The spatial gradient distribution of damage increased as the preheating temperature increased and then decreased significantly over 600 °C. When the preheating temperature was sufficiently high (e.g. 800 °C), the gradient can be ignored.