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

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.451-462
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• 2017

Physical weathering caused by external forces and chemical weathering caused by the decomposition or alteration of constituent materials are the two factors that dominate the mechanical properties of rocks. In this study, a field investigation was undertaken to identify the physical and chemical weathering characteristics of the biotite granite and granitic weathered soils in Gyeongju, South Korea. Samples were collected according to their grade of weathering and subjected to modal analysis, XRD analysis, XRF analysis, physical property tests, particle size distribution tests, and slake durability tests. Modal and XRD analysis identified these rocks as biotite granite; secondary alteration minerals were not observed. Physical property tests and particle size distribution analyses indicate an average porosity of 41.28% and a sand content of > 90 wt.%. These values are somewhat higher than those of granites in general. The results of the slake durability test and XRF analyses show that the physical and chemical weathering indices of the samples vary with the degree of weathering.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.147-157
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• 2003

The application in steel structures is increasing the mill sheet for the weathering steels by minimum maintenance cost in a life cycle cost. These have been collected and statistically analyzed to investigate chemical compositions, mechanical properties, weldability indices, weathering index and impact absorbed energy. From this study, although the band of dispersion in chernical compositions, mechanical properties and impact absorbed energy of the weathering steels appeared a little larger, the results revealed that these values have adequately satisfied the standard values of the Korean Standard. Furthermore, it was found that the weldability indices and the weathering index for the weathering steels have respectively satisfied the value prescribed by the Japanese Highway Specification and ASTM.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.67-79
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• 2017

Evaluation of the weathering index using the quantitative element composition of rocks is very effective in predicting the degree of weathering of rocks and the secondary weathering residuals. While the process of weathering varies according to the types of rocks, the study of weathering in Korea is concentrated on acidic igneous rocks. This study calculated the weathering indices using whole rock analysis (X-ray fluorescence analysis) of sandstone, mudstone, and shale belonging to clastic sedimentary rocks. The statistical significance of the indices was examined based on the correlation of the calculated weathering indices. Clastic sedimentary rocks showed higher significance of Wp, CIA, CIW and PIA weathering index indicating weathering of feldspar. Chemical Index of alteration (CIA) has the advantage of predicting weathering pathway and clay mineral production, but it is effective to consider chemical index of weathering index (CIW) simultaneously to improve accuracy. In order to reduce uncertainties due to carbonate rocks and to estimate the accurate weathering index, rock samples with high CaO content should be excluded from the evaluation of weathering index.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 2010.03a
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• pp.717-721
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• 2010

Soil volume conversion factors are used for estimation of an excavated the soil volume which will be removed or added in levelling the ground surface of a construction site. An accurate evaluation method will help us reduce a construction cost and time consuming. In this study, we performed the laboratory tests, including grain size measurement, water content, specific gravity, porosity, density and XRD tests, to suggest reliable soil volume conversion factors and weathering indices in field using nondestructive methods. The weathering index and soil volume conversion factor L are obtained for different types of soils. At results, the CIW index is the best method measuring the weathering index and the factor L is relative to natural porosity, void ratio, density and dry density.

• Explosives and Blasting
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.33-43
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• 2004

The six grades weathering system is normally used in weathered rock classification. In this study. fresh and weathered rock block of grade I to V were sampled in Jang-soo ana but samples of the grade VI was omitted from this study. The variation quantities of chemical weathering indices with weathering degree are smaller than those of physical and mechanical properties. Increase of Weathering degree is well indicated by physical and mechanical properties such as strength, hardness, ultrasonic velocity and slake durability result. Especially, absorption and porosity ratio is a good indicator. As weathering proceeds. a number of the cracks affect the rock deformation. Therefore, stress-strain curves of weathered rocks in unconfined state are quite different from ones of fresh rocks.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.33 no.12
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• pp.127-139
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• 2017

Site investigation including boring and various in-situ borehole test (Pressuremeter test, Borehole shear test, Downhole test, Suspension PS logging, Density logging) and X-ray fluorescence analysis for rock core sample were performed to estimate geotechnical properties and weathering degree of weathered granite rock in Goyang. Deformation modulus, shear strength parameter and shear wave velocity estimated through in-situ borehole test had a tendency to increase with depth. And several chemical weathering indices evaluated by X-ray fluorescence analysis had a general tendency of reducing weathering degree in accordance with depth. Also, relationship between VR determined as a representative weathering index and the geotechnical properties was analyzed.

• 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.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.49-60
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• 2002

A study on mineral composition and chemical component governing of weathering process is necessary to know the weathering characteristics of sedimentary rocks. In this study, a mineral and chemical component analysis, and physical and engineering characteristic tests were conducted to find out the characteristics of sedimentary rocks in Daegu, according to the weathering degree of sedimentary rock. Test results show that the mineral composition of rock, such as Albite (Ab), Muscovite (Ms), Magenetite (Mt) and the chemical composition of $A_2O_3$, CaO, $Na_2O$, $K_2O$, MgO and so on are closely related to the weathering. Based on the test results, we illustrated the quantitative application of weathering decision for the sedimentary rocks.

• 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.