Frost weathering of selected Tatra rocks in the light of laboratory tests

Frost weathering is one of the types of physical weathering. The goal of this study was to find out how the rates and ways of frost weathering vary, based on laboratory research studies. A variety of types of Tatra rocks, their mineral composition, degree of fissuring, various capabilities of absorption of water, and porosity, all determine the progress of the process of weathering as well as its dissimilar effects and products. Generally, the breaking apart and gradual disintegration of rock into smaller fragments are the results of weathering. Rock samples, intended to be studied in the laboratory, represented rock formations of different age and various geologic units of the Western Tatra Mountains. The laboratory research studies that were conducted simulated processes occurring under natural conditions, which allowed performing an analysis of the physical properties of rocks. The rocks of the greatest and the smallest resistance to frost weathering were identified based on a calculated frost weathering index. The significant resistance of the studied Tatra rocks is influenced by their low open porosity, low capability of absorption of water, rock toughness, high degree of sorting of rock grains (grain sizes are similar), low degree of fracturing of samples in their initial state, and the presence of cementing material filling in rock pores almost entirely. The influence of texture on the disintegration of rocks was not observed, whereas the presence of mineral veins in rocks determined the way they fell apart, which occurred in samples of fine-grained conglomerate.