Failure scenario estimated by a non-destructive method

The temporal characterization of the failure risk in rock masses can be better known by tracking progression of cracks due to weathering. So this study aims at using a non-destructive method, the resonant frequency measurement, to estimate the failure scenario of a rock sample. The experiments focus on determining resonant frequency values of two limestone rocks at different known states of uniaxial stress which are linked to states of cracking. Then the resonant frequency is measured on the same limestone rocks submitted to it global mechanical stress: freeze-thaw cycles. First this study shows that the resonant frequency can give a model of the failure scenario of a rock sample submitted to local mechanical stresses. Besides the resonant frequency variations with global stresses are similar to the trend previously observed with uniaxial stresses. So this study enables to predict its failure scenario considering the trend of the resonant frequency values.