Analysis of Mechanical Properties and Acoustic-Thermal Response Characteristics of Water-Soaked Gabbro

Zhi Bin; Xu Xiaojing; Wang Qijie; Li Changwei; Zhang Yutao; Song Zhanping; Kang Baoxiang

doi:10.5614/j.eng.technol.sci.2026.58.4.2

Authors

Zhi Bin China Road & Bridge Corporation, Beijing 100011, , China
Xu Xiaojing
xuxiaojing_789@163.com
School of Civil Engineering, Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi’an 710055, , China
Wang Qijie Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Geotechnical and Underground Space Engineering, Xi’an 710055, China https://orcid.org/0009-0004-4334-3190
Li Changwei China Road & Bridge Corporation, Beijing 100011, China
Zhang Yutao School of Civil Engineering, Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi’an 710055, , China
Song Zhanping Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Geotechnical and Underground Space Engineering, Xi’an 710055, China
Kang Baoxiang Xi'an Vocational University of Automobile, School of Traffic Engineering, Xi'an 710600, China

Vol. 58 No. 4 (2026): : August (In Progress)

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Accepted January 14, 2026

Published June 9, 2026

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With the national strategy being implemented and taking root in the infrastructure sector, the increased of water erosion in rock formations during railway construction has risen significantly, posing a considerable risk to the stability and structural integrity of engineering rock formations. Consequently, there is a critical need to investigate how water influences the mechanical properties of gabbro. Uniaxial compression experiments were performed on both arid and water-soaked gabbro pieces, simultaneously monitoring the characteristics of acoustic emission (AE) and infrared radiation (IR) response. The Particle Flow Code (PFC) was utilized to examine the microscopic processes of crack propagation, coalescence, and damage progression in the rock pieces. Observations show that water considerably impacts the mechanical characteristics of gabbro. In comparison to arid pieces, the peak strength of water-soaked pieces showed a reduction of 4.98%, while the elastic modulus was diminished by 16.5%. The failure behavior of the pieces shifted progressively from tensile splitting in the arid condition to tensile-shear failure. Both arid and water-soaked pieces displayed pre-shock-main shock patterns in their AE parameters. By creating a damage variable based on cumulative AE ring counts, the damage evolution of the pieces was categorized into three phases: incipient damage, steady damage, and expedited damage phases. Throughout loading and fracturing, the AIRT (average infrared radiation temperature) curve exhibited a downward trend, followed by a sharp rise, featuring a "V"-shaped turn prior to piece failure. The evolution of AIRT in water-soaked pieces showed strong alignment with stress variations. Numerical simulations using PFC revealed that the quantity of shear cracks in water-soaked pieces increased, constituting a larger share of the total cracks in contrast to arid pieces. After loading, water-soaked pieces generated more strong force chains, with the load borne by bonds gradually increasing, making them more susceptible to failure.

Bin, Z., Xiaojing, X., Qijie, W., Changwei, L., Yutao, Z., Zhanping, S., & Baoxiang, K. (2026). Analysis of Mechanical Properties and Acoustic-Thermal Response Characteristics of Water-Soaked Gabbro. Journal of Engineering and Technological Sciences, 58(4), 485–500. https://doi.org/10.5614/j.eng.technol.sci.2026.58.4.2

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