Abstract: In order to analyze the influences of pore number and pore size on mechanical properties of marble, uniaxial compression tests are carried out on marble with different pore numbers and pore sizes; and with CT scanning of the specimens before and after destruction the characteristics of the spatial distribution of damage crack are studied. The results show that: (1) With increase of number or diameter of hole, elastic modulus, the peak strength, crack stress ,and crack stress level of hole gradually decrease. (2) With increase of the number or diameter of hole, tensile crack and shear crack increase while the far field crack decrease in the process of specimen failure; and the failure mode of the specimen is gradually transited from tensile failure to shear failure after the specimen failure; meanwhile, damage degree increased gradually. (3) Containing hole specimen under the condition of uniaxial compression, the failure process in the direction of before and after showing from one party to the other gradually failure, and in the direction of up and down showing from hole to the up and down gradually failure. (4) Under the condition of uniaxial compression with hole sample, and the damage distribution in the direction of before and after is decreases from one party to the other, while in the direction of up and down is performed gradually decrease from the hole to the up and down but it’s important to note that due to the superimposed effect of injury the maximum damage surface of the porous specimen is not located at the round hole but at the center of the two circular holes.

Key words: hole marble, mechanical properties, cracking characteristics, destruction process, failure mode, damage distribution characteristics