THE INFLUENCE OF MACRO STRUCTURAL FEATURES IN THE METEREORIZATION PROCESS IN SAPROLITH SOILS

Abstract

The role of macrostructural features such as large particles, lithoclasys, secondary clay seems or geological contacts often contribute to heterogeneities in various forms and scales of saprolitic soils. This large variability in type, abundance and scales of heterogeneities in saprolitic profiles means that critical features control stability of slopes. Several studies indicate that macro structural features in saprolitic soils are in many cases of greater importance for the behaviour of the soil mass and that the profile characteristics must be considered as a whole. In this article, we will try to describe the most significant macroscopic, chemical, mineralogical and granulometric modifications in two igneous saprolites profiles whose macrostructural features undergo a weakening process during weathering.