• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
• /
• v.26 no.6C
• /
• pp.431-443
• /
• 2006

As part of a fundamental characterization for subsurface layers in Korea, the weathering degree and shear wave velocity ($V_S$) were evaluated from the X-ray fluorescence analyses and the site investigations containing boring and in-situ seismic tests, respectively, for decomposed granite layer in Hongsung. The subsurface layers at Hongsung were composed of 10 to 40 m thickness of weathered layer in most sites. According to the results of weathering degree analyses in Hongsung, it was examined that three chemical weathering indexes such as MWPI, VR and WIP generally increased with decreasing depth. From the in-situ seismic tests, the $V_S$ was determined as the range between 200 and 500 m/s in weathered layer. Based on the $V_S$ and N value at borehole seismic testing sites, N-$V_S$ correlations were established for weathered layer. Furthermore, the relationships of three representative weathering indexes with the $V_S$ and N value indicated that the MWPI, WIP and 100/VR increased linearly as increasing $V_S$ and exponentially as increasing N value.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
• /
• v.14 no.1
• /
• pp.39-51
• /
• 2001

공주군 유구면 일대의 화강암질 편마암의 풍화작용에 따른 원소의 거동과 pH와 이차광물과의 관계를 XRF, ICP-AES, ICP-MS를 이용한 원소분석결과를 통하여 검토하였다. 이 지역의 암석은 pH6 내외의 산성환경, 침철석, 아나타제와 같은 다양한 이차광물을 생성하면서 심각한 화학조성의 변화를 초래했다. 주원소의 화학조성을 이용한 풍화지수는 토양층에서 79~88로 모암 중의 사장석이 용해되고 흑운모가 변질되어 캐올리광물의 생성이 활발한 방향으로 풍화작용이 진행되었다. 지표층으로 가면서 Al에 대한 주 원소의 거동은 Si, Ca, Na, K, P가 감소하고 Fe, Ti, Mn이 증가하는 경향을 보이며 pH가 낮은 풍화단면에서 주 원소의 변화량이 더 크다. 이 풍화대에서 Mg은 거의 일정하다. Li, As 모든 전이원소는 pH가 감소함에 따라 증가하며 특히 이들 원소는 Fe의 함량과 비례해서 증가해 침철석과 공침하였거나 표면에 흡착되어 있는 것으로 보인다. Ga은 Fe와 비례하기는 하지만 변화량은 전 풍화단면에서 일정하다. Zr, Mo, Sn, Cd은 pH에 변화에 상관없이 일정한 반면에 Rb, Sr, Ba, Y, Pb, Th, U 등은 감소하는 경향을 보인다. 특히 Rb 과 Sr은 Ca에 비례해서 감소한다. 희토류원소는 전 풍화단면에서 감소하는 경향을 보이는데 $Al_2$$O_3$에 대한 상대적인 변화량을 보면 경희토류원소는 사프롤라이트(saprolite)하부와 상부에서 부화되어 있고 중부 사프롤라이트와 토양층에서 감소하는 반면에 중희토류원소는 사프롤라이트 하부와 상부에서 감소하고 중부사프롤라이트 및 토양층에서 부화되는 경향을 보인다. 전반적으로 희토류원소의 원자번호가 클수록 손실율이 커진다. 이 풍화단면에서 원소의 거동은 각 풍화층의 pH와 생성된 이차광물의 조성에 지배를 받았다.

• Journal of The Geomorphological Association of Korea
• /
• v.24 no.2
• /
• pp.41-49
• /
• 2017

From the results of the CIA analysis (A-CN-K and A-CNK-FM ternary diagram), we concluded that granitic grus experienced low chemical alteration and contains plenty of sandy material The chemical alteration of Geochang and Gajo Basin advanced further than that of Yeongju-Bonghwa basin, but does not come to spatial differentiation as Chuncheon Basin. The weathered mantles of inner hills in the basin exhibit very weak alteration, and there is little spatial differentiation of chemical alteration between footslope of mountains, footslope hills. Most of hills are still in incipient weathering stage and have plenty of sandy materials. Therefore the chemical characteristics of granitic hills in Geochang and Gajo basin show that granitic weathered mantles are not saprolite formed by alteration but may be just grus (sandy weathered mantles).

• Journal of The Geomorphological Association of Korea
• /
• v.23 no.2
• /
• pp.71-81
• /
• 2016

According to the result obtained by the CIA analysis(A-CN-K and A-CNK-FM ternary diagram), the chemical weathering of granitic grus in Chuncheon basin is too weak, thus calcium and sodium may not be dissolved sufficiently, but go as far as to be more progress than that of Yeongju-Bonghwa basin, Jeongeup, Nonsan and Namwon, common granitic grus in Korean Peninsula. Therefore the chemical characteristics of granitic hills in Chuncheon basin show that granitic weathered mantles are not saprolite formed by alteration while this may be true for guns(sandy weathered mantles). The weathered mantles of inner hills in the basin is slightly altered, footslope of mountains are more altered, and footslope hills are undergone some alteration. But their alteration doesn't show any advances to saprolite, and most of them are still in incipient weathering stage.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
• /
• v.15 no.2
• /
• pp.181-194
• /
• 1999

Both the chemical components and the physical and mechanical properties of the compacted and undisturbed weathered granite soils were estimated to investigate the influences of the degree of weathering and saturation on the shear strength. The weathered granite soils used in this study were taken from six different sites in Korea. The results showed that the shear strength of weathered granite soil decreased with increasing the degree of weathering and saturation. Under the normal stresses less that 40kPa, the shape of Mohr-Coulomb failure envelope followed curved or hyperbolic relationship and a half of cohesion value obtained by the common shear test was observed. Using the Sueoka's method, the values of CWI were ranged from 21.5 to 31.26 which can be characterized as a completely weathered granite soil. Large decrease in shear strength and remarkable variation in dilatancy were observed in saturated granite soil compared to unsaturated soil. It was also found that the shear strength of undisturbed weathered granite soil of Pungam site can be expressed approximately by the equation of ${(\tau)_{sat}= 1.0(\tau)_{unsat}-12.48}$ and this equation can be extended to the other sites considered in this study.

• Journal of The Geomorphological Association of Korea
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.1-16
• /
• 2016

This study estimates relationships between physical and chemical weathering indices of various rock types and topographical relief. Physical weathering properties such as rock strength and joint and chemical weathering indices such as the $SiO_2/Al2O_3$, CIA and WPI were analyzed from 18 rock outcrops in mountain and valley areas consisting of 9 rock types. The results indicate that the elevation and relief of topography increase physical strength of rock increases. It can be suggested that the total r(rock-mass strength rating) and R(rock rebound strength by Schmidt Hammer) are most useful indices as a quantitative weathering property factor to explain formative causes of topographical relief. The results also suggest that rock types such as sandstone, granite, gneiss and schist are most suitable to explain meaningful difference in topographical relief with the physical and chemical weathering indices.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
• /
• v.23 no.12
• /
• pp.13-23
• /
• 2007

Weathered soils appear from the rock and its weathering result. In accordance with the degree of weathering the roch may become soft rock, weathered rock and residual soil. In general, classification method for determining the degree of weathering are performed by chemical method and N-value. But these method have some problems. So, this research is to suggest an appropriate physical method to determine the degree of weathering of weathered soils. A new classification method for determining the degree of weathering is suggested, based upon the results from fall cone test. According to the proposed physical method using fall cone apparatus, the measured values of the samples from the same area show distinctive difference of weathering. For the checking, we selected two areas. As a result, the relationship between CWI and water content according to penetration is expressed as an equation in Ilsan and Incheon area. And it proved to be a good method to determine the degree of weathering.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
• /
• v.37 no.6
• /
• pp.29-37
• /
• 2021

Since many geotechnical structures are constructed on a weathered granite layer, it is important to evaluate their characteristics. As a seismic design is the more important nowadays, the demands to estimate a shear wave velocity (V_S) based on acceptable methods are increasing. In this study, an empirical equation predicting V_S of the weathered granite layer is suggested based on the nonlinear multiple variable regression analysis whose independent variables are both SPT (Standard penetration test)-N₆₀ and chemical weathering index. It is concluded that the accuracy of the empirical equation estimating V_S of the weathered granite layer increases when it considers the chemical weathering index as an additional independent variable compared to the result of simple regression analysis using only N₆₀.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
• /
• v.37 no.3
• /
• pp.355-364
• /
• 2004

A study on the weathering grade classification has been performed for granite and granite gneiss in Korea. The qualitative classification criteria of weathering were reviewed and then modified with field studies for the weathered rock masses. The thin section observations and XRD analyses for the different weathering grades rock samples showed the petrographical and petrophysical difference with respect to the weathering : the proportion of weathering-resistant minerals suck at quartz and orthoclase has a tendency to increase with the development of weathering, but that of weathering-sensible minerals such as anorthite and biotite is decreased. The ranges of physical and mechanical rock properties for different weathering grades were obtained from the laboratory rock tests and field tests for the studied rocks. And then, along with $RDI_{sq}$(Fookes et al., 1988), the weathering index $I_{a}$, (Woo, 2003) has been developed in this study to demarcate the weathering grade. Those two indices rely mainly on the water absorption ratio of rock and on the different rock strength. The range of these weathering indices have been determined with the physical and mechanical rock properties that can be obtained from simple field or laboratory tests in 4 grades $I_{a}$＞ 7 for F, 3.5 ＜ $I_{a}$ ＜ 10 for SW, 1.0 $I_{a}$＜ 6.0 for MW and $I_{a}$＜ 2.5 for HW. Consequently, the weathering index could be utilized to classify quantitatively the rock weathering grade, especially for the studied granites and the granite gneiss in Korea.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
• /
• v.31 no.4
• /
• pp.731-739
• /
• 2021

This research aimed to analyze the characteristics of topsoil for soil conservation and promote the process of turning subsoil into topsoil. The physicochemical characteristics of topsoil and subsoil of different types of soil were compared, and their quantitative differences were examined. 204 soil samples were collected from a total of 102 areas according to rock types. These samples were tested to measure grain size, water content, and unit weight, along with XRF and XRD analyses. The topsoil and subsoil of the soil samples were also analyzed. The results of this research showed that the topsoil and subsoil had different physical characteristics, and that the chemical alteration index of the topsoil was higher than that of the subsoil. This would imply that the topsoil was high in clay minerals since it was directly affected by weathering more than the subsoil. In particular, vermiculite, one of the final products generated from weathering, was common in the topsoil.