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The relationship between physical and chemical weathering indices of granites around Seoul, Korea

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Abstract

In order to assess the relationship between chemical weathering indices and physical properties of granite, physical and chemical analyses were performed on both natural and artificially weathered granite samples from the Seoul area, where the pH of the rainfall occasionally drops to below 5. The results suggest that slake durability, uniaxial compressive strength, Ruxton ratio, Parker index, modified weathering potential index, chemical alteration index and loss on ignition effectively revealed changes of the degree of chemical weathering. However, the study showed no such good correlation between chemical and physical properties except dry density against loss on ignition and modified weathering potential index against uniaxial compressive strength. It is recommended that both physical and chemical indices should be used for the classification of weathering grade for the granites in the Seoul area.

Résumé

Afin d’évaluer les relations entre les indices d’altération chimique et les propriétés physiques de granites, des analyses physiques et chimiques ont été réalisées à la fois sur des échantillons de granite naturellement ou artificiellement altéré. Ces échantillons proviennent de la région de Séoul, où le pH de l’eau de pluie descend parfois au-dessous de 5. Les résultats d’analyse suggèrent que les variations de degré d’altération chimique sont effectivement révélés par les valeurs d’indices d’altérabilité, de résistance à la compression simple, du ratio de Ruxton, de l’indice de Parker, de l’indice modifié du potentiel d’altération, de l’indice d’altération chimique et de perte au feu. Cependant l’étude n’a pas montré de véritable corrélation entre les propriétés chimiques et physiques, excepté pour les relations densité sèche et perte au feu d’une part, indice modifié du potentiel d’altération et résistance à la compression simple d’autre part. Il est recommandé d’utiliser à la fois les indices physiques et chimiques pour la détermination du degré d’altération des granites de la région de Séoul.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology in Korea (Project no. M6-0105-00-0053, 02-A01-00-043-00) and Research Institute of Engineering Science, Seoul National University.

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  1. School of Civil, Urban and Geosystem Engineering, Seoul National University, 56-1 Shinlim-dong, 151-744, Kwanak-gu, Seoul, Korea

    Sungsoo Kim & Hyeong-Dong Park

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  1. Sungsoo Kim
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  2. Hyeong-Dong Park
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Correspondence to Hyeong-Dong Park.

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Kim, S., Park, HD. The relationship between physical and chemical weathering indices of granites around Seoul, Korea. Bull Eng Geol Environ 62, 207–212 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-003-0192-7

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