Laboratory study of the effect of temperature difference on the disintegration of redbed softrock

To explore the impact of temperature difference (TD) on the disintegration of redbed softrock, three types of redbed rock, collected from Nanxiong Basin, were analyzed under three different treatments: TD, wetting and drying (WD), and TDWD-temperature difference and WD. To better understand the influence of different ranges of TD on disintegration during WD cycles, pH (hydrogen ion concentration) values, electrical conductivity (EC) values, and concentration of cations in leachate released during treatment were measured. The results show that no significant change can be observed under single TD treatment but that TD can increase the disintegration rate by accelerating the water–rock interaction. The effect of TD is more significant for rock with weak resistance to disintegration.