Geology for Engineers

Planet Earth

PROCESS OF WEATHERING
AND DENUDATION
Denudation: is the process by which the land
areas are continually being reduced and their
shape modified by weathering and erosion.
Weathering: refers to the group of destructive
processes that change the physical and chemical
character of rock at or near Earths surface.
Erosion: is the picking up or physical removal of rock
particles by an agent such as streams or glaciers.
Transportation: is the movement
of
eroded
particles by agents such as rivers, waves,
glaciers, or wind. Weathering processes continue
during transportation.

Types of weathering.
These are three types of weathering
namely:Mechanical weathering or
disintegration.
Chemical weathering or
decomposition
Biological weathering.

Types of weathering..
a.0) Mechanical weathering.
This is the breakdown of rocks into small particles by the action of
temperature, by impact from rain drops and by the abrasion
from mineral particles carried in the wind.

Processes most commonly involved in mechanical

weathering are:
Mechanical unloading
Mechanical unloading
Thermal loading.
Welting and drying.
Crystallization.
Pneumatic loading.

Types of weathering..
a.0) Some terms used.
Frost-heaving- gentle rising and falling in regular alternation,
occurs when the freezing of the soil results in the formation of
layers
of segregated ice at shallow depths. The frost heaving of
foundations of buildings is also caused by forces originating in the active
layer and is a common problem is the Arctic extremely cold.

Insolation-In

hot climates, when a rock surface is exposed

to a considerable daily range of temperature as arid and semi-arid
regions, the expansion that occurs during the day and the contraction at
night, constantly repeated, weaken the structure of the rock. The outer
heated layers tend to pull away from the cooler rock underneath and
flakes and slabs split off, a process known as exfoliation.
This
weathering is called Insolation.

Types of weathering..
a.1) Chemical weathering
This is the breakdown of minerals into new compounds by
the action of chemical agents; such as acid in the air, in rain
and in river water; although they act slowly, produce noticeable
effects especially in soluble rocks. The rate of chemical
weathering depends on temperature, the surface area and
the amount of water.

Processes of chemical weathering are:

Solution.
Oxidation
Reduction.
Hydration.
Hydrolysis

Types of weathering..
a.1) Chemical weathering
a.1.1 Hydration.
This is the absorption of water molecules into the
mineral structure. This occurs due presence of
some soluble salts, They may cause efflorescence
by crystallizing on the surface of a stone. In
subflorescence, crystallization takes place just
below the surface and may be responsible for
surface scabbing.

Types of weathering..
a.1) Chemical weathering
a.1.1 Hydration.
The pressures produced by crystallization of salts in
small pores are appreciable, for instance, halite
(NaCl) exerts apressure of 200 MPa; gypsum
(CaSO4.nH2O), 100 MPa; anhydrite (CaSO4 ), 120
MPa and kieserite (MgSO4.nH2O), 100 MPa; and are
often sufficient to cause disruption. Crystallization
caused by freely soluble salts such as sodium
chloride, sodium sulphate or sodium hydrox-ide can
lead to the surface of a stone crumbling or
powdering. As shown in figure below

Types of weathering..
a.1) Chemical weathering
a.1.1 Hydration.

Types of weathering..
a.2) Biological Weathering
This describes those mechanical and chemical
changes of the ground that are directly associated
with their activities of animals and plants.
When present, microbial activities can change the
chemistry of the ground close to ground level.
Processes of biological weathering are:
Burrowing animals and plant roots penetrate the
ground and roots produce gasses which increase
the acidity of the percolating rain water.

Agents of erosion
The erosion is caused mainly by the three agents:Water
Wind
Ice
The fourth agent which helps is gravity.
Factors affecting rate of Weathering
Mineralogy
Texture
Discontinuities
Climate

Importance of
weathering
Leads to the breakdown of rocks into smaller particles
until soil is formed which is valuable agricultural uses
Weathered land forms are tourist attractions.
Weathered land forms are used for research purposes.
Weathering products transported to the sea by rivers
as dissolved solids make sea water salty and serve as
nutrients for many marine organisms.
Some metallic ores, such as those of copper and
aluminum, are concentrated into economic deposits
by chemical weathering.