Abstract
The description and classification of the rocks provide important information for geotechnical modeling in order to predict their engineering behaviors. One of the most imperative parameters influencing the engineering behaviors of the rocks is the degree of weathering. Therefore, it is evident that a realistic weathering classification is necessary mostly for establishing the geotechnical models in the engineering geology studies. For this reason, development of a qualitative weathering classification is the main purpose of the present study. The Weathering State Parameter has been first created by describing the chemical and physical changes separately owing to weathering by employing the ultrasonic wave velocity in the rock material. Then a quantitative weathering index was introduced by combining the weathering condition and the slake-durability known as the indicator of the rock/soil ratio in the rock material. Finally, this index obtained was applied on the prediction of the engineering properties of the Harsit granitic rocks (Giresun, NE Turkey). As a consequence of this study, it has been determined that the engineering properties of the samples and the numerical index proposed could be predicted. In addition, the use and the limitations of the index introduced herein were discussed.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aires-Barros L (1978) Comparative study between rates of experimental laboratory weathering of rocks and their natural environmental weathering decay. Bull Int Assoc Eng Geol 18:169–174
Al-Qudami D, Shehata WM, Al-Harthi AA, Sabtan A (1997) On weathering of syenite under arid conditions. Bull Int Assoc Eng Geol 56:3–8
Arıkan F (2002) Weathering classification of acidic volcanic rocks for engineering purposes. Ph.D thesis, Hacettepe Ankara, Turkey, p 244 (in Turkish)
Bart TWF (1952) Theoretical petrology. Wiley, New York
Birch F (1961) The velocity of compressional waves in rocks to 10 kbar, Part 2 J Geophys Res 66(7):2199–2224
Buttenbarth G (1982) Density and seismic velocity in relation to mineralogical constitution based on ionic model for minerals. Earth Planet Sci Lett 57:358–366
Ceryan S (1999) Weathering and classification of Harsit Granitoid and the effect of weathering on engineering properties. Ph.D thesis. Karadeniz Technical. University, Trabzon, Turkey, 1300p (in Turkish)
Ceryan S (2007) New chemical weathering indices for estimating engineering properties of rocks: a case study from Kurtun Granodiorite, NE Turkey. TUBITAK Turk J Earth Sci (in press)
Ceryan S, Sen C (2003) Two potential methods: chemical weathering index and elastic wave velocity defining potential rock durability. In: Proceedings of industrial minerals and building stones. International association for engineering geology and environment, İstanbul, Turkey, pp 139–146
Cole WF, Sandy MJ (1980) A proposed secondary mineral rating for basalt road aggregate durability. Aust Road Res 10(3):27–3
Davis GH (1984) Structural geology of rocks and regions. Wiley, New York
Dearman WR, Irfan TY (1978) Assessment of the degree of weathering in granite using petrographic and physical index tests. In: International symposium on deterioration and protection of stone monuments, Unesco, Paris 2.3, pp 3–35
Dearman WR, Turk N, Irfan TY, Rowshaneı H (1987) Detection of rock material variation by sonic velocity zoning. Bull Int Assoc Eng Geol 35:3–8
Dixon HW (1969) Decomposition products of rock substances. Purposed engineering geological classification. In: Rock mechanics symposium. Stephen Roberts Theatre, University of Sydney, pp 39–44
Dobereiner L, Durville JL, Restituito J (1993) Weathering of the Massiac Gneiss (Massif Central, France). Bull Int Assoc Eng Geol 47:79–97
Duzgoren-Aydin NS, Aydin A (2003) Chemical heterogeneities of weathered ignous profiles: implications for chemical indices. Environ Eng Geosci 9(4):363–376
Duzgoren-Aydin NS, AydinA, Malpas J (2002) Re-assesment of chemical weathering indices: case study on pryroclastic of Hong Kong. Eng Geol 63:99–119
Esaki T, Jiang K (1999) Comprehensive study of the weathered condition of welded tuff from a historic stone bridge in Kagoshima, Japan. Eng Geol 55:121–130
Fourmaintraux D (1976) Characterization of rocks; laboratory tests, Chapter IV in La Mecanique des roches appliquee aux ouvrages du genie civil by Marc Panet et all. Ecole Nationale des Ponts et Chaussees. Paris
Gokceoglu C, Aksoy H (2000) New approaches to the characterization of clay-bearing, densely jointed and weak rock masses. Eng Geol 58:1–23
Gulec K (1973) Engineering geology of Afyon Marbles and the relationships between its physico-mechanical properties and weathering. Ph.D. thesis, İstanbul Technical University, Istanbul, Turkey, (in Turkisch)
Guolin R, Yushan L (1990) Engineering geological zonation of Xiamen granitic weathered crust and bearing capacity of residual soil. In: 6th international IAEG Congress, Balkema, Rotterdam, 1989–1996
Gupta AS, Rao KS, (2001) Weathering indices and their applicability for crystalline rocks. Bull Eng Geol Environ 60:201–221
Gurocak Z, Kilic R (2005) Effect of weathering on the geomechanical properties of the Miocene basalts in Malatya, Eastern Turkey. Bull Eng Geol Environ 64:373-381
Guven I H (1993) The report of geology map of Eastern Pontides at 1/250000 scaled, MTA, Ankara Turkey (not published)
Hamrol A (1961) A quantitative classification of weathering and weatherability of rocks. Proc 5th Int Conf Soil Mech Found Eng Paris 2:771–773
Harnois I (1988) The CIW index. Sediment Geol 55:319–322
Hodder APW (1984) Thermodynamic interpretation of weathering indices and its application to engineering properties of rocks, engineering. Geology 20:241–251
IAEG (1995) The description and classication of weathered for engineering purposes (Geological Society Engineering Group Working, Party Report. Q J Eng Geol 28:207–242
Illev IG (1967) An attempt to estimate the degree of weathering of intrusive rocks from their physico-mechanical properties. In: Proc 1st Congr Int Soc Rock Mechanism, Lisbon, pp 109–114
Irfan TY (1996) Mineralogy, fabric properties and classification of weathered granites in Hong Kong. Q J Eng Geol 29:5–35
Irfan TY, Dearman WR (1978a) The engineering petrography of a weathered granite in Cornwall, England. Q J Eng Geol 11:233–244
Irfan TY, Dearman WR (1978b) Engineering classificational and index properties of a weathered granite, Bull. Int Assoc.Engng Geol 32:67–80
ISRM (1981) ISRM suggested methods: rock characterization, testing and monitoring. In: Brown T (ed.), Pergamon Press, London, p 211
Johnson R (1984) Elementary satistics. Duxbury Press, Boston, pp 86–106
Kern H, Siegesmund S (1989) A test opf the relationship between seismic velocity and heat production for crustal rocks. Earth Planet Sci Lett 92:89–94
Kilic R (1995) Geomechanical properties of the ophiolites (Çankırı, TURKEY) and alteration degree of diabase. Bull Int Assoc Eng Geol 51:63–69
Kilic R (1999) A unified alteration index(UAI) for mafic rocks. Environ Eng Geosci 4:475–483
Kocbay A (2003) Investigation of characteristics and alteration degree of basalts outcropped in the vicinity of Osmancik-Corum. Ph.D thesis, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey, p 46 (in Turkish)
Krank AKD, Watters RJ (1983) Geotechnical properties of weathered Sierra Nevada granodiorite. Bull Assoc Eng Geol 20:173–184
Lan HX, Hu RL, Yue ZQ, Lee CF, Wang SJ (2003) Engineering and geological characteristics of granite weathering profiles in South China. J Asian Earth Sci 21:353–364
Lee SG (1987) Weathering and geotechnical characterization of Korean granites. Ph.D thesis, Imperial College, University of London
Lee SG, de Freitas MH (1988) Quantitative definition of highly weathered granite using the slake durability test. Geotechnique 38:635–640
Loughnan FC (1969) Chemical weathering of the silicate minerals. Elsevier, Amsterdam
Lump P (1962) The properties decomposed granite. Geotecnique 12:226–243
Matsukura Y, Hashizume K, Oguchi CT (2002) Effect of microstructure and weathering on the strength anisotropy of porous rhyolite. Eng Geol 63:39–47
Mendes FM, Aires-Barros L, Rodriques FP (1967) The use of modal analysis in the mechanical characterization of rock masses. Proc 1st Int Congr In Soc Roc Mech Lizbon 1:217–233
Miura K (1973).Weathering in plutonic rocks (Part I)—weathering during the late pliocene of gotsu plutonic rocks. J Soc Eng Geol Jpn 14(3)
Norusıs mj, ssps Inc (1999) SSPS Regression Model 10.0. SSPS Inc, Chicago
Ohta T, Arai H (2007) Statistical empirical index of chemical weathering in igneous rocks: a new tool for evaluating the degree of weathering. Chem Geol 240:280–297
Ollier C (1984) Weathering Geomorphology Text. 2nd edn. Longman, London
Onodera TF, Yoshinaka R, Oda M (1974) Weathering and its relation to mechanical properties of granite. Proc 3rd Cong Int Soc Rock Mech Denver 2A:71–78
Orhan M, Işık NS, Topal T, Özer M (2006) Effect of weathering on the geomechanical properties of andesite, Ankara, Turkey. Environ Geol 50:85–100
Parker A (1970) An index of weathering for silicate rocks. Geol. Mag 107:501–504
Price RJ, Velbel MA (2003) Chemical weathering indices applied to weathering profiles developed on heterogeneous felsic metamorphic parent, rock. Chem Geol 202:397–346
Reiche P (1943) Graphics representation of chemical weathering. J Sediment Petrol 13:58–68
Ruxton BP (1968) Measures of degree of chemical weathering of rocks. J Geol 76:518–527
Rybach L, Buntebarth G (1982) Relationsips between the petrophysical properties density, siesmic velocity, heat generation, and mineralogical constitution. Earth Planet Sci Lett 57:367–376
Rybach L, Buntebarth G (1984) The variation of heat generation, density and seismic velocity with rock type in the continental lithosphere. Tectonophysics 103:335–344
Selby MJ (1993) Hillslope materials andprocesses, 2nd Edn. Oxford University Press, Oxford
Siegesmund S, Vollbrech A (1991) The effect of oriented microcracks on seismic velocities in an ultramylonite. Tectonophysics 186:241–251
Stümpel H, Kähler S, Meissner, Milkereit B (1984) The use of seismic shear waves and compressional waves for lithological problems of shallow sediments. Geophys Prospect 32(4):662–675
Sousa LMO, Suarez del Rio LM, Calleja L, Vicente G, Argandofia VGR, Rey AR (2005) Influence of microfractures and porosity on the physico-mechanical properties and weathering of ornamental granites. Eng Geol 77:153–168
Topal T, Sözmen B (2003) Deterioration mechanisms of tuffs in Midas monument, Eng Geol 68:201–223
Tugrul A (1995) Weathering effects of engineering properties of Basalt’s in Niksar area. Ph.D thesis, Istanbul University, Turkey (in Turkish)
Turk N, Dearman WR (1985) Influence of water on engineering properties of weathered rocks. In: Proceedings of 21st Raq Conf. Eng Group of the Geol Soc on groundwater in engineering geology, Sheffield, UK, pp 109–121
Ullemeyer K, Siegesmund S, Rasolofosaon PNJ, Behrmann JH (2006) Experimental and texture-derived P-wave anisotropy of principal rocks from the TRANSALP traverse: an aid for the interpretation of seismic field data. Tectonophysics 414(2006):97–116
Vogel DE (1973) Precambrian weathering in acid Metavolkanic rocks from the Superior Province, Villebond Township, Southcentral Quebec. Can J Earth Sci 12:2080–2085
Vogt T (1972) Sulitjelmefeltets Geollogi of Petrography. Nor Geol Unders 121:1–560
Wang Q (2004) Seismic properties of polyphase rocks. Ph.D thesis, Departement des Genies Civil, Geologique et des Mines Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal, p 305
Weinert HH (1968) Engineering petrology for roads in South Africa. Eng Geol 2:363–395
Weiss T, Rasolofosaon PNJ, Siegesmund S (2002).Ultrasonic wave velocities as a diagnostic tool for the qualityassessment of marble. In: Siegesmund S, Weiss T, Vollbrecht A (eds) Natural stone, weathering phenomena, conservation strategies and case studies, vol 205. Geological Society, London, Special Publications, pp 149–164
Youash YY (1970) Dynamic physical properties of rock. In: Proceedings of 2nd Cong. Int. Soc. Rock Mech. Part-1, Theory and procedure. Belgrade, pp 171–183
Zhao J, Broms BB (1993) Mechanical and physical properties of weathered Bukit Timah granite of Singapore. In: Anagnostopoulos A et al. (eds) Geotechnical engineering of hard soils–soft rocks. Balkema, Rotterdam, pp 883–890
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ceryan, S., Tudes, S. & Ceryan, N. A new quantitative weathering classification for igneous rocks. Environ Geol 55, 1319–1336 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-007-1080-4
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-007-1080-4