ABSTRACT
The rock layers of the Three Gorges Reservoir's embankment have been impacted by water levels for an extended period, resulting in periodic changes in their water content and the potential for deterioration in their mechanical properties. This can lead to significant deformation or instability of the embankment, particularly in the case of the red mudstone embankment slope. In this study, we simulated the natural conditions of the red mudstone and sandstone embankments in the engineering area under various immersion conditions, such as natural, rainfall, or changes in reservoir water levels. We explored the deterioration law of the strength of the red mudstone and sandstone using methods such as resistivity testing, uniaxial compressive strength testing, and acoustic emission testing. The results showed that the evaporation process of rock can be divided into three stages, namely the rapid evaporation stage, the deceleration evaporation stage, and the stable stage. The degree of deterioration in the mudstone's strength is negatively correlated with the immersion time. However, the strength deterioration is more significant from the natural state to the saturation state, and the deterioration law is consistent with the change in water absorption. The degree of deterioration in the sandstone's strength is positively correlated with the immersion time.
