Quantifying damage evolution within olivine basalt based on crack propagation behavior under microwave irradiation

Application of microwave heating technique is highly promising in assisting rocks breakage and recycling coarse aggregate in waste concrete. This work focus on crack propagation behavior and hence damage of hard rocks subjected to microwave irradiation. Heating effects of basalt and its main mineral components are investigated experimentally using a multimode industrial microwave system. Crack characterization of basalt after irradiating are observed using scanning electron micrograph (SEM). A theoretical model based on heating effects of mineral components is established to deduce crack propagation within basalt under microwave irradiation. Temperature rise of magnetite is drastic while that of other mineral components are tardy. Fracture of basalt is induced by predominant radial crack propagation around the rapidly heated mineral particle. Cracks can be divided into short cracks and long cracks by a characteristic length during extending. Microwave energy required for extension of cracks with characteristic length is minimum. Propagation of initial short cracks results in greater extent of damage evolution instantaneously. Moreover, damage increases with the mineral content of magnetite and decreases with crack density.