Engineering-geological features of granitoid masses in Northeastern Transbaikalia

North-Eastern Transbaikalia is a vast mid-mountain region situated in the southern part of Siberia to the north and east of Lake Baikal. This region is located at the junction of two large lithospheric structures (the Baikal rift system and the Siberian craton) and is characterized by high tectonic activity and seismicity (with magnitudes up to 8.0) and by contrasting relief. The climate of the region is sharply continental with severe long winters and moderately warm summers. The location of mountain ranges contributes to the penetration of cold arctic air masses. Regarding geology, the territory under consideration is located within the Angara-Vitim granitoid arealpluton. The severity climate, heigh and dissected relief, variegated composition and fracturing of soils and rocks, vertical and horizontal mobility of blocks of the Earth crust in the region have caused intensive development of processes of old and modern weathering (the last has been both areal and linear along faults and fracture zones). Intensive weathering as a characteristic feature of the region leads to the fact that the granitoids masses decompose into gruss and sand at once, without giving intermediate products of destruction such as blocks and crushed stone. This article presents the results of studying granitoids masses in the NorthEastern Transbaikalia.