Civil Engineering and Architecture Vol. 12(2), pp. 1057 - 1068
DOI: 10.13189/cea.2024.120229
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Effect of Slaking Cycles on Weathered Rock Material

Andius D. Putra ^*
Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Lampung, Bandar Lampung, 35145, Lampung, Indonesia

ABSTRACT

Differential settlements, a geotechnical concern, have been documented in earth fills constructed from weathered rock materials. The primary factor contributing to the problem is often seen as the progressive deterioration of the material because of weathering. Weathered rocks undergo a process of fragmentation into smaller particles as a result of repeated cycles of wetting and drying. The observed behaviour can be classified as a mechanical-hydraulic weathering process commonly referred to as "slaking". This study examines the phenomenon of rock deformation caused by slaking in weathered conditions. A sequence of unidimensional slaking experiments was conducted. During the experiment, a one-dimensional compression test was conducted on a desiccated sample. The compression was applied vertically in incremental steps, first at 9.8 kPa and thereafter increasing to 19.6, 39.2, 78.5, 157.0, 314.0, 628.0, and 1256.0 kPa. The wetting and drying processes were iterated while maintaining a compression level of either 314.0 or 1,256 kilopascals (kPa). The duration of each loading cycle was decided to be 30 minutes, based on the observation that the compression of the specimen occurred promptly and that there were no remarkable volumetric changes throughout the compression phase. The analysis of the test findings indicated that the sample's particle size distribution was widened as a result of repetitive wetting and drying cycles, and it was seen that notable irreversible compression occurred. Additionally, this study investigates potential strategies to mitigate the distortion caused by slaking in embankments composed of crushed weak rock. The research revealed that the application of high compression pressure initially, followed by a controlled release to a certain pressure prior to the initiation of the slaking cycle, resulted in the reduction of mudstone.

KEYWORDS
Weathered Rocks, One-dimensional Compression, Slaking, Particle Size Distribution, Deformation

Cite This Paper in IEEE or APA Citation Styles
(a). IEEE Format:
[1] Andius D. Putra , "Effect of Slaking Cycles on Weathered Rock Material," Civil Engineering and Architecture, Vol. 12, No. 2, pp. 1057 - 1068, 2024. DOI: 10.13189/cea.2024.120229.

(b). APA Format:
Andius D. Putra (2024). Effect of Slaking Cycles on Weathered Rock Material. Civil Engineering and Architecture, 12(2), 1057 - 1068. DOI: 10.13189/cea.2024.120229.