GEOMETRIC CHARACTERISTICS OF MULTILAYER SHEETLIKE EXFOLIATION AT GLACIS IN JINGSHIYU,TAISHAN MOUNTAIN

The Jingshiyu is located at a glacis in Taishan Mountain in Shandong Province,where a total of 2799 Chinese characters for the Buddhisms book entitled The Vajracchedika Prajnaparamita Sutra were written by caving on biotite quartzdiorite. Because of the long term natural weathering,freezing and scour,there are only 1069 characters left.The view of the site and measurement shows that the multilayer sheetlike peeling on the diorite glacis is one of the main causes which has been destroying the cut in rock Chinese characters. Sheetlike exfoliation has reached the 5th layers. Each layer has a thickness of 05～08 cm. The geometric characteristics of multilayer sheetlike exfoliation is examined. A weathering model is put forward for the multilayer sheetlike exfoliation at the site. The model includes the process that the rock bulged firstly,then flaked off directly,or flaked off after the sheetlike due to bulging spreading through the rock.