What is repeated thawing and freezing of water in cracks of rocks?

Answer 1

Yes, freezing and thawing does cause these things. This is known as freeze-thaw weathering. For an in depth description of the process:

1. Water falls into a slight crack in a rock, or a bedding plane between rock strata
2. Overnight the water freezes and expands
3. The crack is forced to expand as the ice expanding is more powerful than the capability of the rock to resist stress.
4. Over a number of nights the process is repeated.
5. Eventually when the crack is great enough, a/some fragment/s or rock strata come loose and fall down the slope due to gravity.
6. They fall down the slope, forming a scree slope/fan

For a road surface, apply the word 'road' in place of rock and remove advanced terms completely. Eliminate the second part of step 5 and the whole of step 6.

**N.B.

Not all cracks are formed by freeze-thaw weathering.

Answer 2

This is a classic example of mechanical weathering. The water is not changing the chemical structure of the rock. It is the mechanical forces that are causing the rocks to split and crack and break.

Answer 3

The repeated thawing and freezing of water in cracks of rocks is called a freeze-thaw cycle. This is known as frost weathering.

Answer 4

Sounds like Frost Shattering.

Answer 5

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