CLASSIFICATION OF ROCK MATERIAL WEATHERING GRADES (SEDIMENTARY

AND METAMORPHIC ROCKS), ANON (1977)

DESCRIPTION GRADE DEFINITION FIELD

IDENTIFICATION
SYMBOL
Residual soil VI All rock material in Can be crumbled by
degraded condition and hand and finger.
original rock structure
destroyed.
Completely V All rock material in a Slakes readily in water.
weathered degraded condition but Geological pick easily
original mass structure indents surface when
still discernible pushed. Coring not
pressure into possible by ordinary
constituent grains. methods.
Highly weathered IV More than half of the NX size core can be
rock material in a broken and crushed by
degraded condition. hand into smaller
pieces. Rock material is
plastic and does not
readily slake in water.
Moderately III Less than half of rock Hammer blow makes
weathered material in a degraded drumming sound;
condition. possessing strength
such that NX core
(55mm) cannot be
broken by hand. Rock
material is not plastic.
Slightly weathered II Discolouration of Hammer blows give a
discontinuity weathered dull note. Needs more
surfaces and some than one blow of the
degradation material on geological hammer to
discontinuity surfaces. break specimen.
Faintly weathered IB Discolouration of major
discontinuity surfaces.
Fresh IA No visible evidence of
weathering.