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Chapter 3.0: Weathering of rocks

Chapter 4.0: Geological structures &
discontinuities in rock.
Chapter 5.0: Ground Investigation.

 Weathering is natural decay & breakdown of

rocks when in contact with air & water (and
other weathering agents CO2 & acid rain)
 Chemical weathering (decomposition) is
chemical breakdown of minerals in rock &
normally associated with change in color (iron
staining).
 Physical weathering (disintegration) is physical
breakdown of massive rock body into smaller
rock fragments (without any chemical changes).

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CHEMICAL WEATHERING
Solution Mainly of calcite & gypsum, in
sandstone cement & limestone.
Leaching Selective removal of solutes or
specific elements (Fe).
Oxidation Notably rusting & breakdown of
iron.
Hydrolosis Most silicates react with water to
form clay minerals.

Actions of chemical weathering on rock

PHYSICAL WEATHERING
Unloading of joints Stress relief fractures due to
removal of overburden material.
Thermal expansion Fracturing due to daily
temperature changes.
Frost shatter Fracturing as fissure water or
porewater freezes and expands.
Wetting & drying Movement due to loss of gain of
water in clays.
Root action Tree root expansion in fissures, &
rootlet growth in pores.

Actions of physical weathering on rock

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How many type of weathering is shown by this

massive granite?

Iron stains

Discoloration (iron stains) indicates chemical decomposition

of minerals with Fe (biotite mica & some mafic minerals).
Presence of joints (discontinuities) in rock lead to physical
disintegration of massive rocks into smaller blocks

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Fresh granite (grade I)

Weathered granite (grade IV)

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Weathering of coastline: Various rock types &

weathering actions create different coastal
features & landforms e.g. cliff (1), cove (2), sea-
cave (3), sea arch (4) & stack (5).

 Weathering products can be deposited at

location where rock body is being weathered
forming residual soils; or can be transported by
agents (rivers, glaciers & wind) to other
locations forming transported soils.
 Weathering processes depend on contact with
weathering agents (O2, CO2 & air), so intensity &
type of weathering are strongly influenced by
local climate
 Tropical countries (hot, heavy rainfall & humid)
exhibit intensive weathering effect. This can
create very thick weathering profile. Under
tropical climate, chemical weathering is more
dominant than physical.

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 Frost shattering is important in cooler climate

& higher altitudes – physical weathering.
 All chemical processes accelerate in hot wet
climates, & further increased by organic acids
from dense plant cover.
 The most important aspect of chemical
weathering is the production of clay minerals
from silicate minerals & feldspars in rock.
 Shales, porous sandstones & weak limestones
weather to a greater depths than strong &
sound granites & some metamorphic rocks.
 Laterite: red soil, high iron & aluminium content
& low silica, is formed in tropics.

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 Spheroidal weathering (onion peeling) ; forms

rounded boulders or corestones from angular
joint blocks which weathered more readily at
corners & edges. Exposed corestones (rock
boulders observed along hillside) are indicator
on the occurrence of massive rock body
(granite) at depth (important in quarry).

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Spheroidal weathering (onion peeling) of granite

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Previous ground level

Deep weathering profile in tropical climate

(Dengkil, Selangor)

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 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 in rock help to expedite physical
weathering. Intersecting joints help to
disintegrate a massive rock into smaller rock
fragments & blocks.
 Joints create new surfaces/passage for chemical
weathering to take place on the chemically
unstable minerals inside a massive rock.

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Fracture planes/discontinuities in granite - joints

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Disintegration of rock without any chemical

change on its mineral composition – physical
weathering.

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Physical weathering creates new surface &

passage for chemical weathering to take place –
change in colour.

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Physical disintegration of highly jointed granite

(with 3 joint sets orthogonal to each other) can
lead to sphreoidal weathering – leading to
formation of rounded & sub-rounded boulders.

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Physical weathering (disintegration) – creates

new surfaces for agents of chemical weathering
to take place on the exposed minerals

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Presence of boulders along river valleys &

excavated slopes; typical of area with weathered
zones & granite bedrock

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Weathering Profiles:

 Weathering profile (zonal scheme) is more

elaborate & distinctive in tropical countries
where chemical weathering is more intensive
& continuous. More distinctive in intrusive
igneous rock – e.g. granite
 Weathered rock of generally similar properties
and degree of weathering, are classified
according to ZONE (1 to 6) & GRADE (I to VI).
 As weathering degree increases, rock
becomes weaker, easily crumble, highly
deformable & frequently more permeable.

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Zonal scheme for the classification of

weathered rock (Martin & Hencher, 1986)

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 Grouping of weathered rock to the respective

zone/grade depends on the scale of observation
on site.
 At a larger scale (rock mass/body) weathering
degree of rock mass are divided into ZONE 1 to
ZONE 6.
 At a smaller scale (rock sample/rock material)
weathering degree of rock are divided into
GRADE I to GRADE VI.
 A rock mass can exhibits weathering profiles
from Zone 6 (residual soil) at the top and Zone
1 (fresh rock) at depth. In terms of material, in
Zone 3 the weathered rock material may
consists of material of higher weathering
grade, e.g. Grade IV or Grade V.

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Zonal scheme (weathering profile) is more

distinctive in igneous than in sedimentary rocks

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Ground Surface
Granitic
100 % Soils
Residual Soil
Heterogeneous material; soils +
rock boulders. The % of rock
Weathered granite. increases gradually with depth.
Granite boulders Coring in boulders gives CRR
(corestones) in and RQD < 100 %. Materials
soil matrix. % of recovered from coring consists of
rock increases soils + rock. Large & mas sive
with depth boulders in Zone 3 may be
suitable for foundation.

Rock as major components

Fresh & Slightly (CRR 100%). Zone 1 and Zone
Weathered Granite 2 are part of the bedrock and is
more suitable as foundation.

Massive granite bedrock

Weathering starts at surface & becoming weaker at depth. In

granite, this creates weathering profile (Zone 1 to 6), layers
of material of different weathering grades (Grade I to VI)

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Residual Soils (Zone 6) &

Completely Weathered
(Zone 5)

Highly Weathered (Zone 4) to

Moderately Weathered (Zone
3). Boulders are widespread.

Fresh rock (Zone 1) to

Slightly Weathered rock
(Zone 2)

The profile can be grouped into 3 main layers:

(i) Zone 6 (100% soils) + Zone 5 (> 60% soil with relict joints
+ boulders [relict joints are unique features for Zone 5).
(ii) Zone 4 to Zone 3 (< 30% soils with abundant rock boulders
& the most heterogeneous zones)
(iii) Zone 2 to Zone 1 (fresh & slightly weathered rock – the
massive bedrock)

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Exposed corestones due to erosion & removal of

soil matrix (clay, sand & silt) surrounding the
corestones. Note the original location of the
corestone in the weathering profile (in Zone 3 to 5)

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SIMPLIFIED ENGINEERING CLASSIFICATION OF WEATHERED ROCK

Grade & Description Lithology Excavation Foundations
Zone
VI & 6 Residual Some organic content, Normal excavator Unsuitable
Soil (RS). no original texture of & can be re-used.
rock.
V&5 Completely Decomposed soils, some Scrape Assess by soil
weathered original rock texture. NB corestones. testing.
(CW).
IV & 4 Highly Partly change to soil, Scrape. Variable &
weathered % of soil > % of rock. NB: corestones. unreliable.
(HW).
III & 3 Moderately Partly changed to soil, Blast to Rip Good for most
weathered % of rock > % of soil. small structures.
(MW).
II & 2 Slightly Increase fractures & Blast Good for
weathered minerals staining anything except
(SW). (discoloration). large dams.
I&1 Fresh (F) Clean rock no trace of Blast Very good &
discoloration. sound.

Engineering classification of weathered rock.

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Zone 6

Zone 5

Zone 4

Zone 6 is 100% residual soils. In Zone 5 weathered

material of Grade 4 to Grade 2 may be present.

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 As a result of weathering, rocks change from

hard material (Grade I) to weak residual soils
(Grade VI).
 Changes in the engineering properties of rock
due to weathering can affect design &
construction of structures in rock:
- Profile of excavated slopes (soil slope and rock
slope).
- Change in the design & types of foundation.
- Methods of stabilisation for rocks & soils are
different.
- Depth of pile settings or suitable rock socket
(usually Grade I to II).
- Excavation methods for Zone 1 & 2 is different
from Zone 5 & 6. Zone 5 to Zone 3 are
heterogeneous (rock boulders in soil matrix)

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Rock cycle – one of earth’s subsystems to maintain equilibrium

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Rock cycle – one of earth’s subsystems to maintain equilibrium

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Weathering Profiles:

 Descriptions on respective ZONE (1 to 6) and

GRADE (I to VI) are given in Table 2.4 (after
Attewell 1993).

 Case Study on Effect of Weathering Profile on

construction

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