Accelerated chemical weathering tests in laboratory by using the double Soxhlet extractor: Application to South Korean granitic rocks

Ik Woo (1) , Jean-Alain Fleurisson (2) , Y.J. Park (3) , Kong Chang Han (4) , Won Kyong Song (4) , H.J. Park (5) , I.S. Kim (6)

1 Deparment of Ocean System Engineering
2 GEOSCIENCES - Centre de Géosciences
3 Civil Engineering Department of Suwon University
4 Korean Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources
5 National Research Laboratory of Geohazard information
6 Domestic Exploration Team I

A double Soxhlet extractor was used in the laboratory to perform accelerated chemical weathering tests in order to simulate the leaching of granitic rocks under tropical climate. Several types of granitic rocks corresponding to various initial weathering grades were sampled on two test sites in South Korea. They were subjected to leaching with hot and pure water in the double soxhlet extractor in order to measure the evolution of some of their physical and mechanical properties. Tests showed a decrease of the physical characteristics, more particularly the P-wave velocity and quick water absorption ratio. This decrease mainly occurred during the first leaching cycles. Uniaxial compressive strength also decreased during the leaching test, and the fresher the granitic rock, the most important the UCS decrease. This kind of test allows the evaluation of the chemical weathering effects and also the estimation of the long-term mechanical properties of the rock

Mots clés: Accelerated chemical weathering; Leaching test; Double soxhlet extractor; Granitic rocks; South Korea

Domaines: Sciences de l'ingénieur [physics]; Génie des procédés

Ik Woo, Jean-Alain Fleurisson, Y.J. Park, Kong Chang Han, Won Kyong Song, et al.. Accelerated chemical weathering tests in laboratory by using the double Soxhlet extractor: Application to South Korean granitic rocks. Bulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment, 2008, 67 (3), pp.443-452. ⟨10.1007/s10064-008-0140-7⟩. ⟨hal-00569325⟩