ABSTRACT
This paper describes a laboratory study made on point load strength and H2O(+) of weathered and fresh rocks. Samples were collected from fresh charnockitic gneiss, the major metamorphic rock in the country and it’s in-situ weathered formations above the fresh rock in different localities. The point load strength and H2O (+) for fresh and weathered samples of charnockitic gneiss were found using standard methods. According to the results the point load strengths of rocks decrease when the degree of weathering is high. Inversely the H2O (+) amount increase with the higher degree of weathering for the same rock. Though it is impossible to measure the point load strength of soils, it is clear that there may be a possible relationship of the strength and the amount of H2O(+). The strength of the earth materials below the failure surface of landslide area is relatively higher than the unstable materials above the surface. Hence the amount of H2O (+) also may be different in the stable and unstable materials either side of failure surface. This may be another indicator to recognize the unstable surface from the stable land. A laboratory experiment is needed to confirm this method before use.
