Weathering Process of In Situ Granite and Particle Breakage Characteristics of Compacted Weathered Granite

Abstract

Quantificationally describing weathering process and characterizing particle breakage are important in predicting the behavior of coarse-grained soil (e.g., weathered granite). In order to comprehensively understand the mechanical properties of weathered granite and provide references for reasonable evaluation of the engineering properties of subgrade filling in mountains, a series of tests—X-ray diffraction, sieving, heavy compaction, large-scale triaxial, and field compaction tests—were carried out in this research. Based on the weathering process parameters (m and r) of in-situ granite samples at two typical sections of weathered granite mountains obtained by using previous grading equation, the mathematical model of weathering process with depth was proposed and the variation laws of weathering process with depth were described. The results show that, with an increase in burying depth of mountain profile (h) of weathered granite, the geological year’s parameter (m) decrease by power function, but the geometric progression constants (r) increase by power function. Some factors affecting the particle breakage properties of compacted weathered granite were evaluated by using relative breakage (Br). Especially, the effect of field compaction condition (such as thickness of loose paving layer and number of vibratory rolling passes) on particle breakage was analyzed creatively. Through laboratory and field tests, it was found that particle gradation, mineral composition, compaction effect, stress level, and number of rolling passes significantly affected the particle breakage characteristics of weathered granite. Furthermore, it is worthy of attention that the weathered granite in this paper showed obvious particle breakage characteristics under weak compaction effect and at low stress levels and over-compaction could result in a decrease in the degree of compaction of a certain thickness of loose paving layer filled with weathered granite. Findings in this research can provide a theoretical basis for evaluating the physical properties and mechanical behavior of weathered granite as subgrade fillings.