Influence of weathering on pore size distribution of soft rocks

Abstract

Soft rocks can weather and lose their structure within a short time due to drying out and rewetting. Thus they are very sensitive to weathering. Since these rocks are often found in the shallow subsurface, they are of great practical relevance in the foundation of constructions. The rock properties change during the weathering process. Particularly relevant is the softening of the material and the decrease of its mechanical properties, which are determined typically using mechanical laboratory or field tests. The objective of this study is to examine in more detail how the microstructure of rocks changes over the course of weathering, which results in a decrease in mechanical properties. Sulfate rocks of the Grabfeld-Formation in Stuttgart, Germany were investigated. Using XRD analyses it was revealed that initially a chemical weathering processes occurs whereby the rocks leach out, followed by a physical weathering process. Investigations with a mercury porosimeter showed that during chemical weathering the intraaggregate pore content greatly increases, whereas the proportion of interaggregate pores only slightly increases.