• Title/Summary/Keyword: Weathering

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Hydrogeochemical Research on the Characteristic of Chemical Weathering in a Granitic Gatchment (水文化學的 資料를 통한 花崗岩質 流域의 化學的 風化特性에 關한 硏究)

  • Park, Soo-Jin
    • Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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    • v.28 no.1
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    • pp.1-15
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    • 1993
  • This research aims to investigate some respects of chemical weathering processes, espcially the amount of solute leaching, formation of clay minerals, and the chemical weathering rate of granite rocks under present climatic conditions. For this purpose, I investigated geochemical mass balance in a small catchment and the mineralogical composition of weathered bedrocks including clay mineral assemblages at four res-pective sites along one slope. The geochemical mass blance for major elements of rock forming minerals was calculated from precipitation and streamwater data which are measured every week for one year. The study area is a climatically and litholo-gically homogeneous small catchment($3.62Km^2$)in Anyang-shi, Kyounggi-do, Korea. The be-drock of this area id Anyang Granite which is composed of coarse-giained, pink-colored miner-als. Main rock forming minerals are quartz, K-Feldspar, albite, and muscovite. One of the chracteristics of this granite rock is that its amount of Ca and Mg is much lower than other granite rock. The leaching pattern in the weathering profiles is in close reltion to the geochemical mass balance. Therefore the removal or accumulation of dissolved materials shows weathering patterns of granite in the Korean peninsula. Oversupplied ions into the drainage basin were $H^+$, $K^+$, Fe, and Mn, whereas $Na^2+$, $Mg^2+$, $Ca^2+$, Si, Al and $HCO-3^{-}$ were removed from the basin by the stream. The consumption of hydrogen ion in the catchment implies the hydrolysis of minerals. The surplus of $K^+$ reflects that vegetation is in the aggravation stage, and the nutrient cycle of the forest in study area did not reach a stable state. And it can be also presumed that the accumulation of $K^+$ in the top soil is related to the surplus of $K^+$. Oversupplied Fe and Mn were presumed to accumulate in soil by forming metallic oxide and hydroxide. In the opposite, the removal of $Na^+$, Si, Al resulted from the chemical weathering of albite and biotite, and the amount of removal of $Na^+$, Si, Al reflected the weathering rate of the bedrock. But $Ca^2+$ and $Mg^2+$ in stream water were contaminated by the scattered calcareous structures over the surface. Kaolinite is a stable clay mineral under the present environment by the thermodynamical analysis of the hydrogeochemical data and Tardy's Re value. But this result was quite different from the real assemblage of clay miner-als in soil and weathered bedrock. This differ-ence can be explained by the microenvironment in the weathering profile and the seasonal variation of climatic factors. There are different clay forming environments in the stydy area and these differences originate from the seasonal variation of climate, especially the flushing rate in the weathering profile. As it can be known from the results of the analysis of thermodynamic stability and characteristics of geochemical mas balance, the climate during winter and fall, when it is characterized by the low flushing rate and high solute influx, shows the environmental characteristics to from 2:1 clay minerals, such as illite, smectite, vermiculite and mixed layer clay minerals which are formed by neoformation or transformation from the primary or secondary minerals. During the summer and spring periods, kaoli-nite is a stable forming mineral. However it should consider that the other clay minerals can transformed into kaolinite or other clay minerals, because these periods have a high flushing rte and temperature. Materials which are directly regulated by chemical weathering in the weathered bedrock are $Na^+$, Si, and Al. The leaching of Al is, however, highly restricted and used to form a clay mineral, and that of Si falls under the same category. $Na^+$ is not taked up by growing veget ation, and fixed in the weathering profile by forming secondary minerals. Therefore the budget of $Na^+$ is a good indicator for the chemical weathering rate in the study area. The amount of chemical weathering of granite rocks was about 31.31g/$m^2+$/year based on $Na^+$ estimation.

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Weathering Properties in Deposits of Fluvial Terrace at Bukhan River, Central Korea (북한강 하안단구 퇴적층의 풍화 특성)

  • 이광률
    • Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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    • v.39 no.3
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    • pp.425-443
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    • 2004
  • Fluvial terraces is poorly developed along Bukhan River in Central Korea. Altitude from riverbed of T1 terraces are 18-29m, T2 terraces 2539m, respectively. Rubification index of T2 is 0.66, T1 is 0.54, and thickness of gravel weathering rind on gneiss of T2 are 14.0mm, granites of T2 are $\infty$, gneiss of T1 are 5.0mm and granites of T2 are 8.0mm, because weathering in deposits of T2 terraces, older than T1, is severer than T1 terraces. Since deposits in T2 have more active and longer weathering than T1, SiO$_2$/Al$_2$O$_3$ is 3.32 in T2 and 4.06 in T1, and SiO$_2$/R$_2$O$_3$ is 2.64 in T2 and 3.19 in T1. CIA(Chemical Index of Alteration) is 87.85% in T2 and 85.88% in T1. Kaolinite and halloysite are founded in deposits of T2 indicating high weathering, and are founded gibbsite made tv eluviation of kaolinite. However, deposits of T1 have no kaolinite, and are found plagioclase, weak mineral in weathering process. Comparing to previous researches by estimated age as altitude from riverbed, rubification index, thickness of gravel weathering rind, element contents and mineral composition, forming age of T2 terraces in Bukhan River are estimated in marine oxygen isotope stage 6 (130-190ka), and T1 terraces are marine oxygen isotope stage 4(59-74ka).

Relative Movement of Major Elements on the Weathering of Rocks (암석의 풍화에 따르는 주요성분의 상대적 이동)

  • Nam, Ki-Sang;Cho, Kyu-Seong
    • Economic and Environmental Geology
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    • v.26 no.1
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    • pp.67-81
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    • 1993
  • This dissertation is a basic research on the degradation of rocks and aims at clarifying the relations between the progression of degree of weathering and the variation of chemical composition. The author wants to make clear the degradation of rocks and the process of formation of sedimentary rocks from a standpoint of elucidation of migration of elements. This study is considered to be significant not only as a part of research on the distribution of earth crust materials but as the petrogenesis of rocks. The chemical studies on the weathered rocks have been started relatively early and there are not a few researches on them: Goldich, 1938; Harris, et al., 1966; Ruxton, 1968; Berner, et al., 1982; Kanuss, 1983; Lasaga, 1984; Siagel, 1984. The degree of migration of elements in weathering is the composite result of various factors. Because, at the present time, it is difficult to clarify the individual and composite effects of each factor theoretically and quanititatively, we must accumulate empirical data and use them relatively. In such consideration the author acquired some data of chemical weathering from the chemical analysis of granitic and basaltic rocks in and around Fukuoka city, Japan and granitic rocks in and around Chonju and Iri cities, Korea. Because both rock types studied can be considered as representative materials of acidic and basic rocks compsing the earth crust, it is significant to examine the phenomena of weathering of both rock types. The following results are obtained from the analysis and examinations of chemical compositions of the original and weathered rocks. The loss rate of major elements has no uniformity, but the following relation holds in general; Ca, Na> K, Si> Mg> Fe, Al. As weathering proceeds, the ratio of $Al_2O_3/CaO$ shows increasing phenomena, and that of $Na_2O/CaO$ decreasing. The range of migration of composition is broad in basaltic rocks but narrow in granitic rocks. The reason is that the chemical weathering of basaltic rocks progresses more easily than that of granitic rocks. The chemical weathering potenitial index of basaltic rocks in larger than that of granitic rocks. The reason is that the chemical weathering of basaltic rocks proceeds more easily than that of granitic rocks. In weathering, the decrease of mobile cations such as $Ca^{2+}$, $Na^{2+}$, $Mg^{2+}$ and the increase of $H_2O$ in basaltic rocks are more obvious than in granitic rocks.

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Characterization of Microtextures formed by Chemical Weathering in Crystalline Rocks and Implications for Rock Mechanics (화학적 풍화에 의한 결정질 암석내의 미세조직 발달특징과 암반공학적 의미)

  • Choo, Chang-Oh;Jeong, Gyo-Cheol
    • The Journal of Engineering Geology
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    • v.21 no.4
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    • pp.381-391
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    • 2011
  • Weathering can reduce rock strength and eventually affect the structural stability of a rock mass, which is important in the field of engineering geology. Several methods have been developed to evaluate the degree of weathering, including the chemical weathering index. In this study, we analyzed the weathering degree and characteristics of microtextures and pores in crystalline rocks (gneiss and granites) based on petrographic observations, the chemical weathering index, mineralogy by XRD, microtextural analysis by SEM/EDS, measurements of pore size and surface area by the BET method, and microporosity by X-ray CT. The formation of secondary minerals and microtexture in gneiss and granitic rocks are assumed to be affected by complex processes such as dissolution, precipitation, and fracturing. Hence, it is clear that some chemical weathering indices that are based solely on whole-rock chemistry (e.g., CIA and CWI) are unable to provide reliable assessments of the degree of weathering. Great care is needed to evaluate the degree of chemical weathering, including an understanding of the mineralogy and microtexture of the rock mass, as well as the characteristics of micropores.

Variation of Geomechanical Characteristics of Granite and Orthogneiss in Wonju Area due to Accelerated Artificial Chemical Weathering Tests (강원도 원주일대에 분포하는 화강암 및 화강편마암의 화학풍화실험에 의한 물성 변화 연구)

  • Woo, Ik;Um, Jeong-Gi;Park, Hyuck-Jin
    • Tunnel and Underground Space
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    • v.19 no.3
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    • pp.213-225
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    • 2009
  • The purpose of the study is to evaluate the effects of chemical weathering on the granite and orthogneiss in Wonju area based on accelerated artificial chemical weathering. The rock samples were scrutinized the variation of index properties and ion exchanges caused by artificial chemical weathering which was implemented with leaching test for 170 days using double soxhlet extractor. The differential weathering and decrease of p wave velocity were obtained by weathering process without significant changes of porosity. In case of granite samples, the uniaxial compression strength was reduced by 20% and 16% for the F-grade and SW-grade, respectively. For MW-grade granite, however, was not able to examine the effect of strength reduction due to lack of sample number. Also, for orthogneiss, it is difficult to compare the values of uniaxial compressive strength between before and after the test because of its strong anisotropy.

Oxidized Biotite in the Weathering Profile of Andong Cranite (안동화강암의 풍화단면에서 산출되는 산화흑운모)

  • 정기영;김혜빈
    • Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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    • v.15 no.3
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    • pp.183-194
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    • 2002
  • Biotite and its weathering Products in the weathering Profile of Andong granite were examined using X-ray diffraction, chemical analysis, and electron microscopy. Major weathering product of biotite was oxidized biotite, which is decomposed into kaolinite in the upper part. Discrete vermiculite or hydrobiotite was not detected although minor vermiculite (5%) was randomly interstratified with oxidized biotite. Excess positive charge induced by iron oxidation was balanced by release of Fe (16%) and Mg (12%) from octahedral site and K (13%) from interlayer site. After slight chemical and structural modification induced by iron oxidation, oxidized biotite persists through the weathering profiles with partial decomposition in the upper part of the profile. Formation environments and dissolution experiments of oxidized biotite highly resistant to weathering are required to understand the elemental behavior in the surface environments on the biotite-bearing bedrocks.

Initial Stage of Atmospheric Corrosion of Carbon and Weathering Steels in Thailand Climate

  • Nii, K.;Bhamornsut, C.;Chotimongkol, L.;Vutivat, E.;Nakkhuntod, R.;Jeenkhajohn, P.;Suphonlai, S.
    • Corrosion Science and Technology
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    • v.2 no.4
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    • pp.183-188
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    • 2003
  • Corrosion of carbon and weathering steels were evaluated under 3 environmental exposures in Thailand (urban, rural and marine) for a year. The seasonal study was designed to determine different corrosion mechanisms by 6 months of dry season and 6 months of rainy season in a year. The sheltered exposure racks were used to determine the washing effect of min. At each site, climatic and pollutants analyses were carried out. The present study showed that the difference in corrosion rates of carbon and weathering steels was not so distinguished in both rural (AIT) and urban (TISTR) environments. The corrosion rate of weathering steel was somewhat lower than that of carbon steel and the decreasing tendency of corrosion rate with time was slightly higher for weathering steel than for carbon steel. In marine (Rayong) environment, the corrosion rate was higher and the effect of wet and dry seasons was observed. The corrosion rate in 6 dry months was higher for direct exposure than for sheltered exposure. However, in 6 rainy months. the corrosion rate of sheltered exposure was higher than that of direct exposure. In direct exposure for I year, that is, the first 6 dry months and the next 6 rainy months, the corrosion rate decreased with time. but in sheltered exposure, the corrosion rate did not decrease with time. instead, increased in the next 6 rainy months. This indicated that the protect ive layer formed in the first 6 dry months could be destroyed by high deposition of chloride to r sheltered exposure in the next 6 rainy months; whereas the rust layer for direct exposure could be kept sound due to washing effect in rainy season, even though the deposition rate of chloride was almost the same for direct and sheltered exposures. In marine environment, the weathering steel showed higher corrosion resistance than carbon steel but its corrosion rate was higher than those in other environments.

Development of radioactive prospecting as tool for evaluating degree of granitic rocks weathering

  • Ishida Satoshi;Tsuchihara Takeo;Imaizumi Masayuki;Ohnishi Ryouichi
    • 한국지구물리탐사학회:학술대회논문집
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    • 2003.11a
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    • pp.416-421
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    • 2003
  • To develop an easy, low-cost method for evaluating the degree of weathering by radioactive prospecting, radioactive prospecting and the investigation of the degree of weathering were carried out in the southern Kitakami massif of Iwate Prefecture, Japan, in which weathering granitic rocks was distributed. Fifty outcrops in the study area were selected, and strength of the gamma-rays emitted from the weathering bedrock of $^{40}K,\;^{214}Bi,\;and\;^{208}Tl$ was measured for 15 minutes at each point. At the same points, soil hardness was measured on the surface of the outcrop with a Yamanaka soil penetration tester. In addition, 100cc samples of each outcrop were taken with the sampler. The samples were analyzed by XRD, and the kind of the rock-forming minerals containing K was identified. We then compared the degree of weathering and the radioactive prospecting results by using K as an indicator. The relation between $^{40}K/^{208}Tl$ gamma rays counting rate by the radioactive prospecting and the hardness index showed a positive correlation as a result of the investigation, and the correlation coefficient ($R^2$) was 0.67.Moreover, when $^{40}K/^{208}Tl$ gamma rays counting rate emitted from the bedrock was low, the number of rock-forming mineral species containing K was also low. Thus, it was found that $^{40}K/^{208}Tl$ gamma rays counting rate measured by the radioactive prospecting could be used as an indicator of the degree of weathering.

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A Study of Engineering Properties of Rock Mass Weathered by Sea water (해수에 의한 암반 풍화의 공학적 특성 연구)

  • Choi Kang-Il;Kang Coo-Won;Go Chin-Surk
    • Explosives and Blasting
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    • v.23 no.1
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    • pp.9-17
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    • 2005
  • This study is to clarify the comparative relationship and mechanical anisotropy of granite distributed in the Nam-weon on the subject of weathered rock mass sea water surroundings. Artificial weathering test is defined as a test, which controls the weathering rate and agents by controlling the weathering rate and agents by artificial environmental of salt water. Increased weathering degree is large indicated by weathering salt water, such as apparent specific gravity, absorption, porosity, uniaxial compression strength, P-wave velocity, slake durability, shore hardness, indirect tensile strength(brazilian test) and cohesion were measured. As the Weathering salt water proceeds, cracks develope increasingly. A number the cracks affect the rock deformation. Therefore, stress-strain curve of weathered salt water rock in one confined state are quite differ from weathered fresh water rock those. A reason of their deformation type is the formation of micro-cracks and potential porosity caused by artificial weathering test.

The Relationship between Weathering Degree and Reflectance of Laser Scanner Considering RGB Value (RGB 값을 고려한 레이저 스캐너 반사율과 풍화도의 관계에 대한 연구)

  • Yoo, Wan-Kyu;Kim, Jinhwan;Kim, Tae-Ho
    • Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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    • v.16 no.10
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    • pp.7182-7188
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    • 2015
  • Recently, to improve manual mapping method, digital mapping using high-resolution camera and laser scanner has increasingly attracted attention and the relevant study is reportedly on the rise. In this study, laboratory and field test which are intended to quantitatively analyze and estimate the weathering degree which is one of the engineering characteristics of tunnel face using laser scanner that integrates high-solution imaging technique have been conducted. In a bid to analyze correlation between reflectance of laser scanner and weathering degree, investigation of the factors influencing on reflectance was carried out. And to minimize the effect on RGB value which is one the critical influential factors on reflectance, modification equation obtained from lab test was proposed. Modification equation proposed in this study was verified by comparing the values before and after correction using the data obtained by scanning. Consequently, weathering index estimated by modified reflectance appeared very similar with dominant weathering degree and weathering ratio monitored at the field.