Estimating uniaxial compressive strength of carbonate building stones based on some intact stone properties after deterioration by freeze–thaw

Predicting uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) of building stones after deterioration by freeze–thaw action is critical in selecting the stones for outdoor applications especially in cold regions. The main aim of this paper is to develop predictive models for UCS estimation of building stones after freeze–thaw action. To do this research, at first, 22 different carbonate building stones from various quarries in Iran were subjected to freeze–thaw cycles and the stone damage caused by freeze–thaw process was evaluated. Then, the effect of freeze–thaw cycles on the UCS of these stones was experimentally investigated. Afterwards, two statistical models were developed to estimate the UCS of carbonate building stones after deterioration by freeze–thaw action. These models predict the UCS of stone after freeze–thaw action employing relatively simple and low-cost tests (porosity and P-wave velocity of fresh stone). The results indicate that both proposed models can be applied to determine the UCS of construction and building stones after freeze–thaw cycles with acceptable accuracy. Furthermore, the comparison of models based on statistical performance indices shows that model 2 produces better predictions than model 1. The coefficient of determination (R²), normalized root mean square error (NRMSE), and variance account for (VAF) indices were obtained as 0.992, 0.054, and 99.259 for model 2, respectively.