Winter weathering of fractured sedimentary rocks in a temperate climate: observation of freeze–thaw and thermal processes on the Niagara Escarpment, Hamilton, Ontario

Abstract The Niagara Escarpment is a fractured Palaeozoic sedimentary cuesta, subject to year-round weathering in a temperate climate. We examined the temperature of the rock surface and fractures at three in situ sites with varying aspect and lithology, as well as the surface and interior of three control blocks maintained in outdoor conditions between December 2020 and March 2021. The objectives were to examine the interplay between …