Weathering Indices for Assessment of Weathering Effect and Classification of Weathered Rocks: A Case Study from NE Turkey

Abstract

Weathering state and weatherability of rocks are highly important for engineering geology projects and the use of rocks as building. The state of weathering resulting physical and chemical processes may be reflected by changes in index properties such as dry density, void ratio, clay content and seismic velocity. Thus, it is important for geotechnical engineers to estimate weatherability of rocks, quantitatively the changes during weathering and classification of the weathered rocks. In this study, first these topics which are the classification of weathered rocks and the indices for definition of the effects of the weathering is discussed and then a case study from NE Turkey is given. The research reported here was carried out in a 40 km2 area of Upper Cretaceous Eocene granitic rocks along the River Harsit around Dogankent (Giresun) in the North eastern part of Turkey (approximately 410 N, 39 0E). In the case study, the definition of mineralogical and chemical changes created by the weathering of the Harsit granitic rocks and the classification of weathered rock materials and masses from the granitic rocks were investigated