Frost heaving damage mechanism of fractured rock masses: Main research progress and prospects for international frontiers

Abstract

The frost heaving damage mechanism of fractured rock masses (FRM) is the basis of theoretical research related to rock mechanics in cold regions, and it is also an important factor that must be considered in the investigation, design, construction, and operation and maintenance stages of cold-region rock engineering projects. Despite the great achievements made by scholars worldwide regarding this aspect, it still faces many difficulties and challenges. This paper firstly briefly reviews the development history of research on low-temperature FRM, and clarifies the differences and connections between them and soil and porous media rocks in terms of frost heaving damage mechanism. The progress of research on the frost heaving damage mechanism of FRM is introduced from four aspects of theoretical studies, laboratory experiments, field tests, and numerical simulations. The hotspots and difficulties in the study of FRM under conditions of low temperature and freeze-thaw cycle are summarized, including theoretical solution method of frost heaving force, migration law of water in the fracture and matrix, and crack expansion law, and numerical simulation method, etc. Finally, an outlook on the future development directions of this field is provided, with emphasis on the importance of the investigation on ice-rock properties, water migration, etc., to improve the existing research results and further expand future research directions.