Engineering Geological Characterization of the Weathering Profile of Low-Grade Metamorphic Rock with Particular Reference to the Soil–Rock Boundary, A Case Study at UKM, Malaysia

Authors

  • MD NURUZZAMAN SABUJ GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF BANGLADESH Author
  • Goh Thian Lai Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.64862/

Keywords:

Weathering grade, Rock-Soil boundary

Abstract

Weathering has affected most ground mass at shallow depth. This research approach is to determine rock and soil properties of low-grade metamorphic rock as well as to assign them according to their weathering grade and to delineate the soil and rock boundary. From the laboratory results it was found that soil samples from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) are well graded silty sand with low to medium plasticity. From the laboratory analysis for rock, it was found that > 60% of the Schmidt hammer rebound values fall into the weathering grade III as well as the porosity ranges from 7.4% to 8.9% indicating that the rock samples are in weathering grade III. But the soil samples did not give any Schmidt hammer readings. Point load and UCS values of the samples range from Is50, 0.90 to 1.51 MPa and UCS values, 15.03 to 26.06 MPa respectively.  UCS value from the point load test was derived with the help of α = 18.6. From the slake durability test of rock samples, they showed greater durability index (Id3%) > 88 and for the soil samples (Id3%) range from 18 to 29% and some soil samples showed < 10%. Slake durability test indicates that the rock samples are in weathering grade III and some soil samples are in weathering grade IV, Vand VI. From the above observation, the rock and soil boundary is between weathering grade III and weathering grade IV.

References

Anderson, R. S., and Humphrey, N. F. (1989). Interaction of weathering and transport processes in the evolution arid landscapes. In T. A. Cross (Ed.), Quantitative dynamic stratigraphy (pp. 349–361). Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, N.J.

ASTM D422-63(1998). (1998). Standard test method for particle-size analysis of soils. ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA.

ASTM D4318-10e1. (2010). Standard test methods for liquid limit, plastic limit, and plasticity index of soils. ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA.

Fookes, F. G. (1997). Tropical residual soils. Geological Society Professional Handbooks. The Geological Society of London, London.

Gaillardet, J., Dupre, B., and Allegre, C. J. (1999). Geochemistry of large river suspended sediments: Silicate weathering or recycling tracer? Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 63 (23–24), 4037–4051. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0016-7037(99)00307-5

Geological Survey Department of Malaysia (GSD). (1985). Geological map of Peninsular Malaysia (8th ed., 1:500,000).

ISRM. (1981). Rock characterization, testing and monitoring: ISRM suggested methods. Pergamon Press, Oxford.

ISRM. (2007). The complete ISRM suggested methods for characterization, testing and monitoring: 1974–2006. ISRM Turkish National Group, Ankara.

Ibrahim Komoo. (1995a). Syarahan Perdana Geologi Kejuruteraan Perspektif Rantau Tropika Lembap. University Kebangsaan Malaysia.

Raj, J. K. (1982). A note on the age of the weathering profiles of Peninsular Malaysia. Newsletter, Geological Society of Malaysia, 8 (4), 135–137.

Raymo, M., Ruddiman, W. F., and Froehlich, P. N. (1988). Influence of late Cenozoic Mountain building on ocean geochemical cycles. Geology, 16, 649–653. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1988)016%3C0649:IOLCMB%3E2.3.CO;2 Zainab Mohamed. (2004). Engineering characterization of weathered sedimentary rock for engineering work (Unpublished PhD thesis). National University of Malaysia.

Downloads

Published

2025-11-27

How to Cite

Engineering Geological Characterization of the Weathering Profile of Low-Grade Metamorphic Rock with Particular Reference to the Soil–Rock Boundary, A Case Study at UKM, Malaysia. (2025). Asian Journal of Engineering Geology, 2(Sp Issue), 103-106. https://doi.org/10.64862/

Similar Articles

1-10 of 103

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.