Experimental investigation on the effect of wetting-drying cycles on mixed mode fracture toughness of sandstone

In recent years, a series of experimental investigations on the effect of cyclic wetting and drying on the physical and mechanical properties of rock materials have been carried out by researchers. The results indicated that the physical and mechanics properties (such as specific gravity, apparent porosity, bulk density, P-wave velocity, elastic modulus, uniaxial compressive strength, shear strength, etc.) have different degrees of deterioration after cyclic wetting and drying. Hale and Shakoor, Ozbek and Khanlari and Abdilor investigated the effects of cyclic wetting and drying, and freezing and thawing on particular physical and mechanical properties of selected rocks.