Effect of different test methods on the disintegration behaviour of soft rock and the evolution model of disintegration breakage under cyclic wetting and drying

Red-bed soft rock covers a large area in China and is often used as filling materials for highway roadbed and embankment, while the disintegration of red-bed soft rock often causes serious settlement of the roadbed and decreased stability. To thoroughly study the disintegration properties of red-bed soft rock, a series of slake durability tests were performed using different test methods. First, the gradation of disintegrated red-bed soft rock was investigated, and the shape of the gradation curve mainly presented as reverse sigmoidal and hyperbolic. Moreover, the evolution model of the disintegration breakage of red-bed soft rock using the Morgan-Mercer-Florin (MMF) model was derived, and the model parameters were analysed. Based on the test results, the disintegration behaviours of red-bed soft rock were measured by the disintegration ratio; then, the new formula to calculate the disintegration ratio based on the concept of the traditional disintegration ratio was derived using the established model. Finally, the effect of different test methods, i.e., different test devices, drying temperatures and sizes, on disintegration breakage under cyclic wetting and drying was analysed, and the test results showed that the rate of disintegration was accelerated by the slake durability apparatus, a higher drying temperature and a larger size.