珊瑚礁灰岩物性特征及工程性质研究进展

 礁灰岩是珊瑚礁岩体的基础和主体部分,其物理力学特征及工程性质的研究在海洋开发建设中具有重要的战略意义。国内外对不同地区礁灰岩的研究表明,礁灰岩具有高孔隙、低密度、低强度的物理性质,且由于成岩作用复杂,其岩石结构发育具有不均匀性,不同胶结程度的礁灰岩具有不同的应力响应,这与其他常规软岩及脆性岩石性质相比明显不同。目前对礁灰岩的研究总体上仍处于初级阶段,尚不能很好地解决珊瑚礁工程建设中的诸多难题,需要系统地开展更加深入的研究。建议首先进行科学的结构分类,加强对不同结构类型礁灰岩的物理力学特征、工程性质、微观胶结机理以及海水侵蚀作用对其物性特征影响等方面的研究。

Physical and engineering characteristics of reef limestone: A review

The reef limestone is the main part of the coral reef rock mass. Its physical and engineering characteristics are important issues in the ocean construction, which concerns directly with the development process of "the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road" infrastructure. This paper reviews the studies of the coral reef limestones in different regions in recent decades, it is found that they have physical properties of high porosity, low density and low strength, with complex diversity of structure types due to their complex sedimentary environment and with different stress responses for different degrees of cementation. These properties are distinct from those of other continental and marine sedimentary rocks. So far, the studies of coral reef limestones are few and many problems are emerging along with the coral reef engineering constructions. Therefore, the studies of these aspects are highly desirable. The coral reef limestones should be classified by texture and structure types before a systematic study. The microscopic cementation mechanism, the engineering mechanical characteristics and the effect of seawater erosion are important topics in further studies of coral reef limestones.