Weathering of expansive sedimentary rock due to cycles of wetting and drying
- American Geotechnical, San Diego, CA (United States)
There are several different mechanisms by which sedimentary rock can weather, such as: (1) Rebound: for cut areas, where the overburden has been removed by erosion or during mass-grading operations, the sedimentary rock will rebound due to the release in overburden pressure, the rebound can cause the opening or widening of cracks and joints; (2) Physical Weathering: sedimentary rock can be broken apart by the physical growth of plant roots or by the freezing of water in rock cracks or joints. Studies have also shown that precipitation of gypsum in rock pores, cracks, and joints can cause rock expansion and disintegration. Such conditions occur in arid climates where subsurface moisture evaporates at ground surface, precipitating the minerals in the rock pores. Acicular gypsum crystals have been observed to grow perpendicular to structures and are believed to exert the most force at their growing end (Hawkins and Pinces, 1987). Acicular gypsum growth has even been observed in massive sandstone, which resulted in significant heave (Hollingsworth and Grover, 1992); (3) Chemical Weathering: weathering of sedimentary rock can be due to oxidation, hydration of clay minerals, and the chemical alteration of the silt-size particles to clay. Factors affecting oxidation include the presence of moisture and oxygen (aerobic conditions), biological activity, acidic environment, and temperature (Hollingsworth and Grover, 1992). The purpose of this study was to investigate the weathering of expansive sedimentary rock due to cycles of wetting and drying at temperatures representative of field conditions.
- OSTI ID:
- 6819150
- Journal Information:
- Bulletin of the Association of Engineering Geologists; (United States), Vol. 31:3; ISSN 0004-5691
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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