LAUSR

Abstract Heat–cool (H–C) cycle is a serious natural weathering mechanism for rock engineering in temperate desert climate; meanwhile, engineering rocks usually involve responses to impact loads arising from blasting operation, mechanized construction, and seismic oscillation. Considering the universality and destructiveness of rock failure caused by H–C cycle weathering coupled with dynamic loading, split Hopkinson pressure bar tests were conducted for sandstone with various H–C cycles. Additionally, hydrothermal coupled damage (D) was defined based on variation of total import strain energy. Energy evolution, damage, and microscopic characteristics of sandstone after diffierent H–C cycles were studied. Finally, the microcosmic structure changes of sandstone after various H–C cycles are compared by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS) technology. Results show that decreasing rate of total import strain energy in high temperature group is significantly larger compared with that in low temperature group and moderate temperature groups. Repeated H–C cycles produce the thermal stress at the mineral boundary constantly and fracture along the boundary of the mineral particle according to the SEM and EDS results.