Evaluating the Impact of Elevated Temperatures on Engineering Properties of Sedimentary Rocks: Insights and Current Trends
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Systematic Review
Abstract: This paper presents a systematic review of research investigating the effects of elevated temperatures on sedimentary rocks. The literature was selected using keyword-based searches of titles, abstracts, and keywords in the Scopus and Web of Science databases. In total, 107 relevant articles published between 2010 and 2024 were critically examined to address research questions on temperature-treated sedimentary rocks. Furthermore, both bibliometric analysis and systematic synthesis of experimental data were performed. The review identifies sandstone as the most-studied rock type, followed by limestone. It reveals that standard experimental methods include unconfined compressive strength (UCS), Brazilian tensile strength (BTS), and P-wave velocity tests. The study’s findings indicate that a temperature threshold of 400–600 °C governs deterioration in engineering properties, driven by the quartz α–β transition in sandstones and calcite decomposition in limestones. Normalized data show that UCS, BTS, and elastic modulus decline significantly beyond this threshold, while porosity increases. The study highlights the influence of fabric anisotropy, mineralogy, and heating conditions on rock behaviour, and identifies research gaps related to confined testing, real-fire scenarios, and anisotropic rocks. Based on a comprehensive analysis of the literature, the principal factors and processes occurring at different temperature ranges were identified and discussed.
Source: GeoHazards
Institution: Griffith University
Language: English
Topic: Rock Mechanics and Modeling
Subfield: Mechanics of Materials
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,207
Funder: Griffith University
OpenAlex ID: W7127075702