• Two CRL types with contrasting mesostructures exhibit significantly different macroscopic compressive strengths (8.46 vs 5.17 MPa), highlighting the influence of pore structure on mechanical behavior.
• A novel voxel average-based digital core scaling methodology enables cross-scale numerical simulation, revealing network-progressive failure in CRL-I versus directional-brittle failure in CRL-II.
• Microscopic analysis shows similar mineral composition and mechanical properties in both CRL matrices, indicating that mesoscopic structure is the primary factor governing macroscopic properties.
• A damage statistical constitutive model based on digital core technology and mesoscopic homogenisation theory quantitatively links microelement strength distribution to macroscopic mechanical response.