Weathering grade of rock masses as a predisposing factor to slope instabilities:: Reconnaissance and control procedures

Weathering of rock masses often assumes importance as a predisposing factor to slope instability and it is possible to map it at various scales depending on the different purposes. The effects of weathering processes are particularly intense on crystalline rocks (plutonic and metamorphic). These rocks are present in large areas of the globe and widespread in Calabria. The relationships between rock mass weathering grades and slope instabilities are analysed, with reference to sectors (1:50,000 scale) and areas (1: 10,000 scale) where crystalline rocks are strongly affected by weathering. To this aim a reconnaissance procedure has been proposed to delimitate the zones with different weathering condition, three macro-classes at average scale (1:50,000) and six classes at detail scale (1: 10,000). In this procedure first analysis of aerial photos and then field observations of representative situations have been used. The reconnaissance procedure has been verified in a selected study area (Acri), whose geological features are provided, by the comparison with weathering maps obtained by means of a control procedure. This last procedure consists of observations and index tests carried out in check points located in representative check sites (discolouration, sound when struck by geological hammer, effect of the point of geological pick, breaking with the hands, rebound of Schmidt Hammer, grain-size analysis). The results obtained confirm through quantitative data that the weathering of a rock mass can be assumed as a predisposing factor to slope instability. At average scale (1:50,000) the reconnaissance procedure is able to give weathering maps representative for this type of evaluation (the ratio between the landslides area in each weathering macro-class and the whole landslide area goes from 67% to 14% for the macro-class A and from 24% to 9% for the macro-class B); at detail scale (1: 10,000) it is necessary to use a control procedure to obtain weathering maps indicative of predisposition to slope instabilities. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.