Influence of High Temperature on the Physical and Mechanical Properties of Porous Limestone from Baku (Azerbaijan)

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

- Lines 64-65-67 and throughout the text:  usually the porosity is expressed in  %  of  voids with respect to the external (geometrical volume) of the measured sample. Which is the way of expression in you case ?

- Line 187: how is Vs defined ?

- Tables 1-2: you should add the standard deviation to each measured parameter

- Figure 9: in the caption you should put if the images are in crossed  polarized light or plan polarized light

minor english language revision is needed

Author Response

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Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

Limestone is a popular building stone worldwide, thus, understanding its physical and mechanical properties can contribute to the protection of the building of limestone. This manuscript presented the work on the limestone physical (connected porosity, permeability, P-wave velocity, thermal properties) and mechanical (uniaxial compressive strength, Young's modulus) properties before and after thermal-stressing to temperatures up to 600 °C. After reviewing the paper carefully, there are still some details that need to modify. So, it is recommended that the paper should be modified significantly so as to increase its readability. Here are some suggestions for checking.

1. In the introduction, the first and second paragraphs are suggested to be merged as one paragraph and be simplified to state the important meaning of the study.

2. The literature review should be rewritten in the introduction, these literatures should not be listed here. The literatures should be naturally organized in the introduction and some summarizations are recommended to be added following the statement of the literatures.

3. In the last paragraph, the study introduced in this manuscript should be stated.

4. In section 2.2, authors stated “these samples were washed with water and dried in a vacuum-oven at 40℃ for at least 48 hours”. Can water change the properties of the limestone? And why did authors use the method of drying in a vacuum-oven at 40℃ for at least 48 hours? Can the samples be dried under the temperature of 40℃? Could you give a standard for it?

5. In Section 2.2.1, the method used to determine the sample porosity may be not the connected porosity strictly due to that the skeleton used for measuring the skeletal volume by a helium pycnometer can also have connected pores. It is better to using the method of the gas porosity measurement method based on the Boyle law.

6. In Table 2 and Figure 6, they contain the same data, please delete the table, and retain the figure. It is the same for Table 3 and Figure 8.

7. Did the data in Figure 9 tested by the authors? If so, it should be moved to Section 3, and some more information or data (figures) is suggested to be presented here for explaining the reason of the changes in the physical and mechanical properties of the limestone samples after thermal stressing treatment.

8. The explanations on the physical and mechanical properties of the limestone samples after thermal stressing treatment are not in depth. It is recommended that some more statement should be given in Section “Interpretation of the physical and mechanical property data” to explain why the limestone samples after thermal stressing treatment will have the changes in connected porosity, permeability, P-wave velocity, thermal properties, uniaxial compressive strength and Young's modulus.

9. The Conclusions should be rewritten to state the results presented in Section 3 item by item, not just one paragraph.

Moderate editing of English language should be required.

Author Response

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Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 3 Report

In this manuscript the effect of high-temperature on the physical and mechanical properties of limestone from Baku (Azerbaijan) is investigated. Though the content of the manuscript is in line with the scope of the journal and the manuscript is well organized, its novelty is not enough because many scholars have already done similar work. The major problems are listed below,

1. Although the authors review some physical and mechanical properties of limestone as a function of temperature in the introduction, it is not clear how this study differs from previous studies, or what is the innovation of this paper.

2. Although the authors conduct some tests on the physical properties of limestone before and after heat treatment, the analysis on the influencing mechanisms of temperature on mechanical properties of limestone should be improved in the article.

3. In general the authors' analysis of the experimental results is relatively simple. Deep analysis or theoretical aspect need to be strengthened. For example, the constitutive model of the heat-treated limestone can be added to improve the quality of the article.

 

Comments for author File: Comments.docx

In order to improve the quality of the manuscript, the language of the paper should be improved.

Author Response

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Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Round 2

Reviewer 2 Report

I gave eight questions/suggestions at the first, but the authors just responded one. Could you modify the manuscript more seriously. If you thought your writting or opinons are more better, you should give your explanation.

The English language is good, but some detail should be checked more carefully.

Reviewer 3 Report

The authors have well explained the comments and revised the paper accordingly. I agree to accept the paper to publish in the journal now.