Change in the elastic properties of partially saturated limestone during drying conditions

Abstract

The article presents the results of an experimental study of the water content effect on the elastic properties of a limestone specimen (Young’s modulus and Poisson’s ratio) during drying after its partial saturation. We first constructed the diagrams of water saturation and water loss, then on their basis we selected the partial saturation mode of the specimen. The specimen was subjected to uniaxial compression in the range of small reversible deformations. We chose the loading range of the specimen to exclude the formation and accumulation of microstructural changes (damages) in the material. The tests were carried out at certain intervals during the natural drying of the specimen. The values of the elastic modulus and the Poisson’s ratio were calculated based on the stress-strain diagrams in accordance with the standard STO 05282612-001-2013 adopted at the Chersky Mining Institute of the North SB RAS. The analysis of the test results revealed the features of the mechanical behavior of the limestone specimen, which indicate a disproportionate and even non-monotonic dependence of the elastic properties on the water content. We propose a hypothesis that allows us to explain the detected effects qualitatively.