mechanical weathering

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13 Terms

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mechanical weathering

  • breaking down of rocks into smaller particles without altering their chemical composition

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climate influence

  • typically occurs in regions with extreme climates and little vegetation - deserts and mountainous areas

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main types

  • freeze thaw action

  • exfoliation

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freeze thaw action

  • most common type of physical weathering and is especially active in mountainous regions

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temperature fluctuation

  • freeze thaw action occurs where daytime temperatures rise above freezing and nightime temperatures fall below freezing

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role of rainfall

  • rainwater seeps into cracks and rocks and freezes at night - expanding and widening the cracks

  • when water freezes it expands by 10%, putting pressure on the rock

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repetition effect

  • repeated cycles of freezing and thawing eventually causes the rock to break apart

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exfoliation

  • causes layers of rock to peel off resembling onion layers shed.

  • it affects rocks with alternating hard and soft layers - which respond differently to temperature changes

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temperature extremes

  • in desert climates -rocks expand in extreme daytime heat (up to 50 degrees celsius) and contract during cold nights (below 0 degrees)

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expansion vs contraction

  • outer rock layers expand more than inner ones during the day making them more prone ot peeling.

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formation of scree

  • broken outer layers collect at the base of the rock forming loose debris known as scree.

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environmental impact

exfoliation contributes to soil formation and changes in slope stability

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engineering relevance

physical weathering has practical implications for constructions and infrastructure projects in affected regions