Could Hydraulic Fracturing Take Place for Asphalt Core in Embankment Dams through Possible Cracks in the Core?

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

This paper disscussed whether cracks of asphalt core in embankment dams could lead to hydraulic fracturing. Crack and high air porosity were desgined to characterize distress. Here are some comments help to imporove:

1; Language should be revise, the authors use a lot of long sensetences, it is difficult to follow.

2; line 133, the crack is very important for experience design, so how to make it and its size ect should be added in detail.

3; temperature effect should be added into conclusions.

Author Response

Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

In this study, asphalt samples with different depth fractures or different air porosity were prepared, and a model test device was developed to study the possibility of hydraulic fracturing. It is novel and has certain embankment application ability. However, some clarification and modification are required before receiving and publishing.

1：The temperature of asphalt on the embankment or road is generally higher than 40 ℃ or lower than 0 ℃. Please explain why 5 ℃ or 20 ℃ is selected.

2：The model used in this study only shows the size of the model in Table 1, but there is no in-depth description of the porosity or permeability of the model in Table 1.  in addition, The length of the initial crack also needs to be clearly stated in Table 1

3：There are many fracturing methods at present. Please add descriptions of other fracturing technologies in the introduction, such as CO2 fracturing. Authors should added the information in the introduction from the following references： ① Polymers, 2019, 11(3), 540;  ② Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 2022, 29(25): 37815-37826. 

4：The language of the article needs to be modified by a professional editor or a native English speaker.

 

Author Response

Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Round 2

Reviewer 2 Report

After the author's modification, I think it can be accepted and published