Effect of freeze–thaw and thermal shock weathering on the physical and mechanical properties of an andesite stone

Natural stones are exposed to physical weathering due to freeze–thaw (F–T) and thermal shock (TS) when they are used as pavement, cladding and masonry material. In this study, the deterioration of andesite was investigated by determining the physical and mechanical properties of andesite samples after each 10 cycles of F–T and TS up to 50 cycles. It was found that the P-wave velocity, Schmidt hardness and compressive strength decrease to different extents with F–T and TS while porosity and water absorption increase with F–T cycles but decrease with TS cycles. The results showed that F–T has a more destructive effect on the studied material than TS, although abrasion loss measurements suggest that the effect on the surface of the material is greater with TS. An exponential model is proposed to predict the variation of material properties with F–T and TS cycles.