Week 2 Reading Assignment-Galih Dinanta

R.J. Schaetzl and M. L. Thompson, 2015, Soils: Genesis and Morphology, 2nd ed., Cambridge University
Press, Chapter 9

Weathering?

Weathering is the physical and chemical alteration of rocks and minerals at or near the Earth’s surface,
can be produced by biological, chemical and physical agents. Other processes that always associated with
weathering is erosion and transport, which collectively are termed denudation.

Weathering, erosion, mass wasting and transportation are all included within denudational processes.
Bowen’s reaction series illustrates the level of weathering susceptibility for various minerals Weathering
susceptibility of rocks is also a function of the size of the individual minerals as well as the degree to which
they are cemented together.

In physical weathering there is no chemical alteration is implied; the rocks are just subjected by
mechanical processes or forces that break them into the smaller unit or changing their shape into
something different than the original shape. Highly fractured rock tends to have increased porosity and
permeability, fractured rock with more pores allow more oxygen and water to have direct contact with
the rock and triggered the chemical weathering. Majority physical weathering is related to the stress that
subjected to the rock including pressure, insulation (Freezing or Heating), biological activity (rock growth,
etc). mostly physical weathering can only breakdown the rock maximum into coarse sand form,
furthermore chemical weathering taking a role.

In chemical weathering also known as decomposition, involves the chemical and biochemical breakdown
of rocks and minerals into different products and compounds. Chemical weathering is producing sand,
silt, and clay particles which is stable form in Earth’s surface. Chemical weathering is also significantly
increased by existences of water inside the porous of rock or mineral (Hydration), redox reaction
processes and dissolution. Chemical weathering is typically happened by a change of chemical bond;
covalent and or ion from the original chemical compound.

Controls on physical and chemical weathering.

Physical controls Chemical controls

Temperature (e.g. thermal and salt Degree of reaction
weathering)
Climate (e.g. desert, humid area, PH
midlatitudes)
Water volume Ionic strength
Pressure/load Redox potential

Soils form in thick sequences can be formed by unconsolidated parent materials that had been previously
transported to the site by glaciers, rivers, or other geomorphic agents. It also can be originally from
weathered rocks or minerals but not transported into another location and due to several conditions
experiencing addition from another component such as biological residue, litter, fragmented or
decompose plant

The methods used to determine the relative degree rock weathering range from qualitative one’s color
or hardness to highly quantitative measures involving mineralogy or chemistry.
 Week 2 Reading Assignment-Galih Dinanta

Turkington, A. V. and Paradise, T. R., 2005, Sandstone weathering: A century of research and innovation,
Geomorphology, v. 67: 229-253.

Study about weathering throughout sandstone.

Research about weathering in the sandstone has been developed over 100 years ago, they are initiated
from description and classification features to process-based explanation, to decreasing scales of
investigation and disparity between understanding of processes and explanation of the genesis. Even
though in the 20th century, there are obstacles to build single process-form-models such as

1. Difficulties when measuring weathering rates

2. The scale of physical causes that make sedimentary rocks (sandstone) breakdown
3. Scale and intensity of chemical processes(es) that subjected to the sandstone.

In the sandstone cases the weathering process in physical factor controlled by the lithological and
structural condition. Weathering studies always played an integral role in geomorphological research,
because it is known as the starting point of many dynamic systems on earth’s surface and as a dominant
force in shaping many landscapes.

Weathering is recognized to be the result of the operation of a wide range of processes, which may
operate sequentially or simultaneously, and emphasis is placed on intensive study of relationships
between process(es), weathering form(s), rock properties, and environmental conditions.

Study about weathering sandstone took an experimental case at “tafoni” that was originally the site-
specific term for the occurrence of dramatic weathered pockets on the island of Corsica. In this location,
they are investigate the possibility of contribution of salt and frost to the rock’s breakdown. They make a
lab test to see an effect of salt crystallization and the frost resistance of stone.

The salt crystal in certain condition proven can accelerate rock’s breakdown, because the crystal is grown
on the rock’s pores and decreasing cohesive force between rock’s component, the Frost also have the
same impact toward the rock, because it is able to shrink the rock’s while heat can expanding it, if this
cycle continuously happens, the rocks can be breakdown.

The researcher such as Popoff and Velberg (1938) believe that “tafoni” is a product of eolian abrasion and
corrosion, but later another researcher such as Martini (1978) giving a study report that it’s combination
processes and there is contribution of salt weathering on in. Data on salt concentrations and
environmental parameters would suggest that salt crystallization and hydration may be important
disruptive processes,

Salt weathering is not invariably the cause of “tafoni” formation, but salts are often present in “tafoni”
backwalls and flakes and cause disintegration both through physical and chemical processes.

The main limitation on the quantification of weathering rates is the method of assessment. The

a. weight of material lost from rock surfaces (Rogner, 1988)

b. the rate of surface recession (Gill et al., 1981)

Gilbert (1877, 1890) differentiated between the concepts of weathering and erosion. He illustrated the
concept that weathering the in-situ alteration of stone, while erosion was that influence that occurred
through entrainment and movement.