Predicting Unconfined Compressive Strength Decrease of Carbonate Building Materials against Frost Attack Using Nondestructive Physical Tests

Carbonate building materials and engineering constructions are exposed to severe seasonal environmental fluctuations and result in a full or partial disintegration, especially in cold regions, and employment of nondestructive methods for evaluating the durability of building materials subject to frost weathering is gaining great significance. This research aims to obtain reliable relationships between unconfined compressive strength decrease and nondestructive parameters variations of limestone types under frost conditions and provide useful information regarding their durability in order to ensure the long-term viability or sustainability of these materials used for constructions against frost conditions. In this study, five important types of Chinese limestone used as construction materials were subjected to 50 frost cycles. Unconfined compressive strength, compressional wave velocity and spatial attenuation, and porosity were obtained at the end of every 10 cycles. As a result of progression in frost cycles, the increase and decrease rates were determined at the end of every 10 cycles, and the relationships between them were obtained to predict the loss ratios of unconfined compressive strength (RDσc). Results indicated that at the end of 40th cycles, there was a high correlation between RDσc and spatial attenuation loss with an R2 of 0.8584. Furthermore, there was also a strong relationship between RDσc and compressional wave velocity decrease after the end of 20th and 50th cycles with an R2 of 0.9089 and 0.9025, respectively. Therefore, these relations are reliable to provide useful information for durability and viability of studied samples under frost conditions and support the use of the ultrasonic measurements. It can also be successfully used for pre-estimation of unconfined compressive strength loss of studied limestone types against frost weathering without any tests.

DETERMINATION OF SPATIAL ATTENUATION OF NORMAL WAVES IN A SHALLOW SEA

This article discusses the possibility of estimating the spatial attenuation coefficient in the low-frequency region (<100 Hz) for individual normal waves and for the integral sound field created by a moving ship. A pulse method was used to resolve and obtain dispersion curves of normal waves. Estimates of the attenuation coefficient were obtained, and the possibility of determining the attenuation coefficient from noise signals of navigation was investigated.

Attenuation Characteristics of Stress Wave Peak in Sandstone Subjected to Different Axial Stresses

To investigate the effect of axial stress on the attenuation characteristics of stress wave peaks, stress wave propagation experiments with small disturbance of a sandstone bar were carried out by a modified split Hopkinson pressure bar test system. Then, effects of axial stress on the waveform, attenuation rate, temporal-spatial attenuation characteristics, and attenuation sensitivity factor of the peak were studied. The results showed that the presence or absence of axial stress has a significant effect on the waveform. With axial stress loading, both temporal and spatial attenuation rates undergo similar development stages, “nonlinear stage + linear stage,” in which the demarcation stress (σ/σc) is 30%. Under the same axial stress, the peak decreases exponentially with the propagation time and distance with different attenuation intensities. With increasing axial stress, the temporal and spatial response intensities also experience “nonlinear stage + linear stage.” However, the temporal and spatial attenuation coefficients undergo three stages, first a dramatic decrease, then gentle development, and finally a sharp increase, in which demarcation stresses (σ/σc) are 30% and 55%. The defined attenuation sensitivity factor can well describe the attenuation sensitivity of peaks to different axial stresses. The conclusions can provide a theoretical reference for rock mass stability analysis in blasting excavation.

Accurate surface exposure dating with lichens

Lichenometry accurately dates exposure times of glacial moraines and landslides when measuring the longest axis of the largest crustose lichen on many blocks, as demonstrated by numerous examples. In Sweden, the sizes ofRhizocarponsubgenusRhizocarpondescribe five pulses of glacial moraine creation in 120 yr. Six historic California earthquakes, between AD 1800 and 1906, caused many landslides that constrain lichen growth as linear with a dating accuracy of±0.5 yr. Crustose lichen sizes date earthquake-created additions to Sierra Nevada talus with an accuracy of±5 yr. The oldest lichen ages are 400 yr forLecanora sierrae, 800 yr forLecidea atrobrunnea, and 1100 yr forAcarospora chlorophanaandRhizocarponsubgenusRhizocarpon. Lichen sizes also record differing spatial attenuation of ground shaking from the magnitude (Mw) ~7.9 San Andreas earthquake of AD 1857 and the more distant, smaller San Jacinto AD 1800 earthquake, which both caused Sierra Nevada rockfalls. AD 1800 seismic shaking was relatively stronger than that of AD 1857 farther north, perhaps expressing stronger Love and Rayleigh styles of surface waves from the north-trending AD 1800 surface rupture that were particularly efficient in causing rockfalls at greater distances.