Effects of Frequency on the Dynamic Properties of Intact Rock Samples Subjected to Cyclic Loading under Confining Pressure Conditions

A series of laboratory tests was performed to assess the effects of frequency on the dynamic properties of sandstone samples subjected to cyclic loading in the confining stress state. Three levels of confining pressure (2.0, 10.0, and 40.0 MPa) and three sets of frequencies (0.1, 1.0, and 3.0 Hz) were applied for the axial cyclic loading tests by the MTS-815 Rock and Concrete Test System. The results from the cyclic loading tests indicate that frequency has a strong influence on the dynamic deformation, the dynamic stiffness, and the failure mode at the same confining pressure. With an increase in the frequency, the axial strain and the number of cycles at failure increased at the same confining pressure, the residual volumetric strain increased when dilatancy occurred at the same confining pressure, and the number of cycles at failure increased. A new damage variable D was defined that describes the degradation process of sandstone samples upon dynamic cyclic loading. The larger the frequency, the wider the localized band. Sandstone samples subjected to dynamic cyclic loading responded with a significantly higher initial stiffness. The higher the initial stiffness, the greater the frequency.