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Breakage index of weathered soil reflecting breakage level and weathering degree

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Abstract

The particle of weathered soil is easily broken by stress, which is significantly influenced by environments and field conditions. In addition, the degree of weathering of soil leads to the change of the breakage level of the soil and the strength parameters of its structure. In this research, breakage level of disturbed weathered soil in each condition of compaction was monitored and then analyzed using a compaction test, X-ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy (XRF), sieve analysis test, Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), and direct shear test. These analyzed results indicate that the key grain size contributing to the breakage level is changed in accordance with the water content of a compaction test. Consequently, with the key grain size a new breakage index is proposed to evaluate breakage levels of the weathered soil specimens. This index not only evaluates the degree of weathering but also identifies the breakage level in this experiment.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53706, USA

    Young Hwan Son

  2. Dept. of Rural System Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, 151-742, Korea

    Pyoung Wuck Chang

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  1. Young Hwan Son
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  2. Pyoung Wuck Chang
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Correspondence to Young Hwan Son.

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Son, Y.H., Chang, P.W. Breakage index of weathered soil reflecting breakage level and weathering degree. KSCE J Civ Eng 13, 325–332 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12205-009-0325-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12205-009-0325-z

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