granites. The disintegration of the water-cooled granite samples increased considerably at 1000 °C and measurements could not be taken at this temperature. At the same temperature, water-cooling treatment caused microcracks and micropores, which led to more critical damage to the granite. These conclusions verify that different cooling methods have several effects on the physico-mechanical and microstructural properties of granite, and ensure a foundation for the prediction of rock mass behaviors in situations with high temperature exposure effects (e.g., geothermal exploration and nuclear waste disposal).
Article highlights• The physical and mechanical properties of granite are reduced after high temperatures with water and oven cooling methods. • The effect of oven and water cooling increased the impacts on rock physical and mechanical parameters. • The microstructural properties of rock are affected by the treatment temperature and cooling method.