• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.543-552
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• 2015

This study examines the processes of rock weathering and tafoni formation targeting tafoni at Mt. Cheonsaeng, Gumi-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do. In the study area, a frequency of tafoni is high in conglomerate and conglomeratic sandstone among regional sedimentary rocks, which means that an initial stage of the formation begins a breakaway of gravel from bedrock and also exfoliation from rock surface. Geomorphologically tafoni have intensively been developed at the southfacing slope with exposed rocks, which means that its formation was favorably controlled by environmental conditions including strong influences of mechanical weathering in winter and chemical weathering in summer times. The results of measuring water content at a tafoni-bearing rock surface using GIS interpolation analysis indicate that moisture rate in/around tafoni is higher than the periphery. Thus, it is considered that moisture distribution at a rock surface plays a role in its formation. Analysis of percipitation and secondary minerals induced by chemical weathering is in progress.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.215-224
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• 2003

Weathering in nature was simulated by freeze-thaw cyclic test which represents mechanical weathering. Measured physical properties were elastic wave velocities, absorption rate, volume change and weight change. Uniaxial compression tests were also conducted before and after the weathering tests. The change in weight and volume of the specimens were not clearly related to the weathering process, but P, S wave velocities, uniaxial compression strength and Young's modulus were clearly decreased as weathering progresses. Test result can be used for the assessment of long-term stability of rock slopes.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.357-366
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• 2009

Since weathering weakens the rock fabric and exaggerates any structural weakness, it affects mechanical properties as well as physical and chemical properties of rock. Weathering leads to a decrease in density, strength, friction angle and cohesion, and subsequently it affects negatively on the stability of rock slope. The purpose of the study is to investigate the changes of the rock slope stability caused by discontinuities which have different weathering grades. For that, the discontinuity samples which are divided into two different weathering grades are obtained from the field and tested their mechanical properties such as JCS, JRC and residual friction angle. In order to evaluate the effects on the stability of slope due to weathering, the deterministic analysis is carried out. That is, the factors of safety for planar failure are calculated for rock masses which have two different weathering grades, such as fresh and weathered rock mass. However, since the JRC and friction angle values are widely scattered and the deterministic analysis cannot consider the variation, the factors of safety cannot represent properly the stability of the rock slope. Therefore, the probabilistic analysis has been used to consider the scattered values. In the deterministic analysis, the factors of safety for the fresh discontinuity and weathered discontinuity are 1.25 and 1.0, respectively. The results indicate the fresh discontinuities are stable for planar failure and the weathered discontinuities are marginally stable. However, the probabilities of failure for the fresh discontinuity and weathered discontinuity are 25.6% and 45.9%, respectively. This shows that both discontinuities are analyzed as unstable in the probabilistic analysis.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.41-54
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• 2012

The weathering process of rocks leads to the reduction of geotechnical bearing capacity. The weathering of granite is frequently used to refer to the degradation of geotechnical property in the design and construction of infra-structure. In this study, the range of values of CIA (chemical index of alteration) and the change of mineral compositions by weathering have been analysed with igneous rock, which covers 45.5% in South Korean territory. Several weathering indices were studied for various rocks found in Korea and significant relationships between different indices were delineated via statistical analysis. The applicability of CIA was found to be the most significant among all weathering indicies. The composition of illite, the secondary weathering residual, generally increases for the felsic rock, and swelling clay material is not included. The weathering of felsic rock will follow a sequential process, starting from bed rock, illite, and chlorite to kaoline. The mafic rock will show weathering process, from bed rock, smectite, and chlorite to kaoline. The intermediate rocks such as andesite and tuff will show similar weathering procedure and the composition of kaoline, chlorite, and smectite tends to increase more than that of illite when the mafic rock is dominated. This means the increase of rock material which has high CEC (cation exchange capacity) during secondary weathering process. However, the characteristics of a specific rock cannot be completely analyzed using merely CIA, since it is exclusively based on chemical composition and corresponding alteration. The CIA can be used to quantify the weathering process in a limited range, and further considerations such as rock composition, strength characteristics will be required to configure the comprehensive weathering impact on any specific region.

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

• Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.29-37
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• 2012

The West Stone Pagoda at Gameunsaji Temple Site constructed in the 7th century is mainly composed of dark grey dacitic tuff bearing small numerous dioritic xenoliths. These xenoliths resulted in small holes due to differential weathering process from the host rocks. Physical strength of the pagoda was decreased due to weathering and damage caused by petrological, biological and coastal environmental factors. The southeastern part of the pagoda was extremely deteriorated that the rock surface showed exfoliation, fracture, open cavity, granular decomposition of minerals and salt crystallization by seawater spray from the eastern coast. The stone blocks were intersected by numerous cracks and contaminated by subsequent material such as cement mortar and iron plates. Also, the pagoda was colonized by algae, fungi, lichen and bryophytes on the roof rock surface and the gaps between the blocks. As a result of ultrasonic test, the rock materials fell under Highly Weathered Grade (HW) or Completely Weathered Grade (CW). Thus, conservational intervention is essentially required to prevent further weakening of the rock materials.

• Geotechnical Engineering
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.71-94
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• 1997

It is important to evaluate rock strength in order to check stability of a rock slope or to design a structure built on rock. However, test methods used for the evaluation have some difficulties since rock samples provide various deviation of strength due to micro cracks in the samples and teat errors, Also, reliable data have not been accumulated for the rock strength in Korea. Therefore, simple teat methods that can be used easily for investication of rock strength in field or in laboratory are not provided sufficiently yet. This study is to investigate variation of the rock strength due to the degree of weathering and to evaluate the degree of weathering by types of rocks, by using data that have been obtained for several years. Therefore, it is possible to provide a relationship between several rock strength values by performing tests such as uniaxial compression teat, point load test, schmidt hammer teat, absorption ratio best and slaking durability tests. The equations of relationships that can be used to estimate rock strength by using simple test methods in field and in laboratory are proposed.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.25-38
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• 2024

Laboratory tests of accelerated artificial weathering compared the effects of seawater and acidified distilled water on rock weathering. The experiments simulated chemical and physical weathering of five different types of volcanic rock by applying 45 freeze-thaw cycles using seawater and acidified distilled water (pH 3), both at 70℃. The physical properties and uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) of the rocks were measured after 15 and 45 cycles of artificial weathering. Most of degradation of physical properties appeared within the first 15 cycles, and acidified distilled water had a greater effect than seawater. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) statistically evaluated the differences in UCS of the different rock types during the tests. The rate of UCS reduction after 45 cycles was similar across the samples, being independent of the rock type and the trend of changes in physical properties. In contrast to the changes in the physical properties, the UCS was more affected by seawater than by acidified distilled water.

• Journal of The Geomorphological Association of Korea
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.27-39
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• 2016

This study statistically investigates relationships between physical properties of rocks and topography by measuring and analyzing section, topographical and measured parameters of 58 bedrock outcrops at areas covered by gneiss, schist, granite, andesite, sandstone and limestone in the Korean Peninsula. Multiple linear regression analysis suggests that the joint spacing, joint continuity, weathering grade and maximum joint width of rocks among the measured parameters are related to the topographical parameters with statistical significances. Therefore, this study suggests that rock properties such as joint spacing, joint continuity, weathering grade and maximum joint width seem to greatly influence topography, although various factors can affect topographical parameters.

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