Abstract:

In this article, factors controlling the formation of tafoni on sandstones in Olur stream basin in the northeastern Turkey have been studied by using Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (EDX), X-Ray Powder Diffractometry (XRD) and X-Ray Flourescence Spectroscopy (XRF) analysis. Results revealed that the petrographic features and salt (sodium nitrate) crystallization were the primary factors that caused tafoni formation on sandstones. Moreover, to measure the relationship between the variables such as width-depth, width-height, and height-depth of tafoni cells, regression analyses were conducted. In these analyses, it was seen that area growth and deepening processes of weathering pits developed harmoniously, and as the pits got deeper the distance betweeen ground and ceiling increased and weathering was continuous.