Abstract: To investigate the influence of acidic environments on the tensile properties and chemical damage mechanisms of limestone, experiments were conducted using limestone specimens soaked in acidic solutions with different pH values (2, 6, and 7). The pH values and Ca²⁺ concentrations of the solutions were measured using a high-precision pH meter titration method. Variations in the tensile strength of limestone at different soaking stages were analyzed through Brazilian splitting tensile strength tests. Utilizing nuclear magnetic resonance and scanning electron microscopy techniques, microscopic changes in the pore and structure of limestone samples during various soaking stages were observed. The results indicate that: (1) Rapid dissolution and a significant decline in tensile strength occurred during the acid-rock reaction stage (0~15 days). In contrast, the processes of dissolution and tensile strength deterioration during the hydrolysis reaction stage (15~60 days) slowed down. (2) Acid erosion influenced limestone specimens both macroscopically and microscopically, resulting in reduced macro-tensile strength, increased micro-porosity, and intensified micro-structural changes. (3) Tensile strength, porosity, and fractal dimension exhibited good linear relationships with damage variables, with chemical damage affecting these properties differently. (4) Failure types of limestone under acid etching were similar, primarily occurring along the middle part of the specimens parallel to the loading direction. However, crack initiations and morphologies varied with an increase in chemical damage degree. These findings contribute to a theoretical basis for evaluating stability and predicting disasters in relevant rock mass engineering projects.