ILYA BT JOOHARI

Process of weathering

Physical and chemical weathering

Weathering profile in rocks

Erosion and gravity action


Weathering the physical breakdown (disintegration) and
chemical alteration (decomposition) of rock at Earths surface.

Erosion the physical removal of material by mobile agents

such as water, wind, ice, or gravity.
 Fresh granite
(before being weathered)

Weathered granite

Mechanical weathering Chemical weathering

Disintegration of rock Decomposition of rock

into smaller pieces minerals into new
without any change in minerals & solutions.
mineralogy.
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There are FOUR types of mechanical weathering:

Frost wedging
Pore-water within rocks expand by 9% on freezing (producing great internal
pressure)

Unloading

Thermal expansion
Heating and cooling of the rock (day & night), may cause expansion and contraction
and thus fracturing of the rock

Biological activity
Biologic activity, particularly by rooting of plant into existing fractures

Frost wedging

Unloading

Thermal expansion

Biological activity
2

Most important agent is water (Responsible for transport of ions
and molecules involved in chemical processes).

Transforms the original material into something different e.g.

Feldspar produces clay minerals, which have different in
chemical composition and physical characteristics

Texture of the rock is influence by porosity & permeability, which
water can enter the rock and attack the mineral grains.

There are THREE types of chemical weathering:

Oxidation
Any reaction when electrons are lost from one element.

Dissolution
Aided by small amounts of acid in the water.

Hydrolysis
The reaction of any substance with water.

Hydrogen ions attacks and replaces other ions.

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The carbonate rocks, limestone and dolomite, are among the
most easily weathered rocks on the earths surface if water is
present.
1

Carbonation is the reaction between carbonic acid and mineral.

Calcium bicarbonate is about 30 times more soluble than

calcium carbonate in water; the carbonation reaction therefore
causes rapid dissolution of limestone.
1

Many rocks contain iron-bearing minerals that are oxidized
when exposed to the atmosphere.

Alterations caused by chemical weathering

Decomposition of unstable minerals to stable minerals

Formation or retention of stable materials

Physical changes such as the rounding of corners or edges


1. Surface area
2. Rock characteristic


Rocks containing calcite (marble and limestone) readily
dissolve in weakly acidic solutions.

Silicate minerals weather in the same order as their order of

crystallization.

Climate Differential weathering

Rocks do not weather

Temperature and
uniformly due to regional
moisture characteristics
and local factors
Chemical weathering is Results in many unusual
most effective in areas of and spectacular rock
warm, moist climates formations and landforms


GROUND CONDITIONS: Top few meters of the

ground profile generally consist of residual soil,
transported soil & weathered rock, with
engineering properties very different from those
of the underlying bedrock (in situ rock).

Residual soil (not transported) originates from

weathering of the in situ rock, mixture of
weathered mineral debris & plant material,
usually < 1 m thick; may divide into plant-rich
topsoil & clay-rich subsoil.

Engineering soil is weak material (UCS < 600
kPa) that can be excavated normally; include
soil, weak & weathered rocks

Rockhead is the interface between buried soil &

rock; commonly a conspicuous boundary
between weak soils & strong rock

All chemical processes accelerate in hot wet
climates, & further increased by organic acids
from dense plant cover chemical weathering

Weathering processes depend on contact with

weathering agents (O2, CO2 & air), so are
strongly influenced by local climate
The most important chemical
weathering is the production of
clay minerals from silicate
minerals (e.g. Granite)

Laterite: red soil, high iron &

aluminium, low silica, formed
in tropics
Hot wet weathering (tropical)
of igneous rocks produces
unstable smectite

Spheroidal weathering (onion peeling) ; forms rounded

boulders/corestones from angular joint blocks which weathered
easily at corners & edges. Exposed corestones (boulders) are
important indicator for occurrence of massive rock body (granite).
Spheroidal weathering (onion peeling) of granite
Exposed corestones due to excavation, the soil matrix
surrounding the corestone is mainly clay, sand & silt


Depth of weathering depends on the timescale, rock

type & prevailing climate

Deepest weathering occurs under climatic extremes,

e.g. beneath equatorial rain forest
Deep weathering profile in tropical climate
(Dengkil, Selangor)

For massive rocks like granite
weathering are more intensive on
the surface (onion peeling).
However, if fractures (e.g. joints
& faults) are present in the rock,
weathering agents (water & air)
can penetrate deep into the
granite body
Joints also create new surfaces for chemical weathering to take
place on the chemically unstable minerals of rock.

Joints in rock help to expedite physical weathering. Intersecting

joints help to disintegrate a massive rock into smaller rock
fragments & blocks
Joints lead to disintegration of rock into smaller blocks; they
also act as channels for agents of chemical weathering to
penetrate deep into the rock body.
 Iron stains

Discolouration in the form of iron stain indicates chemical weathering

on minerals with Fe (biotite mica & some mafic minerals).
Disintegration of rock without any chemical change on its mineral
composition physical weathering.
Disintegration of rock without any chemical change on its
mineral composition physical weathering.

 Zonal scheme for the
classification of weathered rock
(Martin & Hencher, 1986)
Grade & Description Lithology Excavation Foundation

zone

6 (VI) Residual Soil (RS) Some organic content, no Normal excavator Unsuitable
original texture of rock. & can be reused.

5 (V) Completely Decomposed soils, some Scrape Assess by soil

Weathered (CW) original rock texture. NB corestones. testing.

4 (VI) Highly Weathered Partly change to soil, Scrape Variable &

(HW) % soil > % rock NB corestones. unreliable.

3 (III) Moderately Partly changed to soil Blast to rip Good for most
weathered (MW) % rock > % soil small structures.

2 (II) Slightly Increases fractures & mineral Blast God for anything
Weathered (SW) staining (discoloration). except large
dams.

1 (I) Fresh (F) Clean rock no trace of Blast Very good &
discoloration. sound
 Zone 6

Zone 5

In Zone 5 & Zone 6 weathered material of Grade 4 & Grade

3 may be present.
 Zone 6

Zone 5

Zone 4

In Zone 4 weathered material of Grade 3 to Grade 1 may be present.


Changes in the engineering properties of rock, due to weathering,
significantly affect construction of civil engineering structures in
rock:
Profile of excavated slopes (slope profile are designed based
on weathering grade of rock).
Change in the design & types of foundation of heavy structures.
Selection of suitable method of excavation.
Methods of stabilisation of rock mass.
Determination of depth of pile settings (usually Grade I to II)