The drying, saturated and freeze-thaw cycling tests were conducted for the two types of rock which are red sandstone and shale, then Brazilian test and the effectiveness analysis of tensile strength measurement were carried out on various states. The rock damage deterioration and failure process were investigated, the influence of lithology, moisture and freeze-thaw cycle on tensile mechanical characteristics of rock were studied systematically, and the identity and discrepancy of rock tensile and compressive properties were compared. It is shown that, the moisture impacts on the internal microstructure of rock and leads to the decrease of bonding force between rock particles. The frozen-heave force and pore water pressure generate by the freeze-thaw action results in local damage in rock interior. In the role of moisture and freeze-thaw cycles, the tensile strength and elastic modulus decrease significantly, and the reflection of red sandstone is more sensitive. The damage of rock is affected not only by the random distribution of internal defects, but also by the stress state even more important, the rock defects are particularly susceptible to the reduction of intensity under the state of tensile stress.