Mechanical characteristics and crushability of Hiroshima weathered granite

A test program into the investigation of the mechanical properties of Hiroshima weathering granite was conducted by means of field and laboratory tests. The investigated material consisted of quartz and orthoclase minerals present in the coarse fractions, strongly weathered plagioclase and biotite minerals present in the finer fractions and clay minerals. The paper presents the findings derived from the in-situ plate loading tests and from the oedometer and undrained triaxial compression tests conducted in the laboratory. After the plate loading tests, optical microscopic observation was performed to identify the state of crushing of the mineral particles beneath the plate. The specimens tested in triaxial cell or oedometer were subsequently subjected to grading analysis to quantify the amount of particle crushing.