Weathering bark

Weathering barks are thin crusts of minerals that can form on free surfaces of rock exposed to weathering or on crevices . They mostly consist of iron oxides , brownstone , plaster of paris or carbonate .

Their formation is attributed to the transport of dissolved iron , manganese and other substances through seepage water. The dissolved minerals are deposited on the surface of the rock when the water evaporates and form a crust that is only a few millimeters thick and often very hard. The transport of substances through seepage water can lead to the softening and partial dissolution of the original rock.

If the crust is destroyed in places, the rock can be removed by wind, water and ice. The resulting tafoni can have very different shapes, but spherical or ellipsoidal shapes predominate.

Weathering crusts also arise on structures and pose a challenge for the restoration of heavily damaged structures.

Individual evidence

↑ Frank Ahnert: Introduction to Geomorphology. Verlag Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart 1996. ISBN 3-825-28103-5
^ The Regensburg Cathedral: Laboratory investigation of the weathering crusts. Fraunhofer Information Center for Space and Building IRB, Stuttgart (page no longer available)

Web links

Andreas Hertl, Gernot Schwendinger: Geology and Tectonics. 4.5. Tafoni. Corsica excursion 2000 by the Institute for Geography, University of Innsbruck

[1] Frank Ahnert: Introduction to Geomorphology. Verlag Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart 1996. ISBN 3-825-28103-5

[2] The Regensburg Cathedral: Laboratory investigation of the weathering crusts. Fraunhofer Information Center for Space and Building IRB, Stuttgart (page no longer available)