Petrophysical response of sandstone and tuff to water and freeze–thaw

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Abstract

This study evaluates the durability of 11 Hungarian lithotypes (sandstone and volcanic tuff) from the Eger region under water saturation and 100 freeze–thaw (F–T) cycles. Utilizing 468 specimens, physical degradation was quantified via ultrasonic wave velocities and dynamic moduli. Results indicate that while saturation initially increases P-wave velocity through pore-filling, cyclic freezing induces progressive microstructural attenuation, primarily within the first 50 cycles. Tuff varieties exhibited high frost sensitivity and significant stiffness loss due to high open porosity and zeolitic alteration. Conversely, sandstone maintained superior structural integrity. Strong correlations between acoustic parameters and elastic moduli confirm that non-destructive testing effectively characterizes stone durability.