Bedrock

Bedrock in geology is solid rock that lies under loose softer material (regolith) within the crust of Earth or another terrestrial planet.

Bedrock is the solid rock that underlies looser surface material.[1] An exposed portion of bedrock is often called an outcrop.[2] The various kinds of broken and weathered rock material, such as soil and subsoil, that may overlie the bedrock are known as regolith.[3][4]

The surface of the bedrock beneath the soil cover (regolith) is also known as rockhead in engineering geology,[5][6] and its identification by digging, drilling or geophysical methods is an important task in most civil engineering projects. Superficial deposits (also known as drift) can be extremely thick, such that the bedrock lies hundreds of meters below the surface.[7]

Bedrock, when exposed or within the subsurface may experience weathering and erosion by external factors. Weathering may be physical or chemical and alters the structure of the rock and may cause it to erode and or alter over time based on the interactions between the mineralogy and its interactions. Bedrock may also experience subsurface weathering at its upper boundary, forming saprolite.[8]

A geologic map of an area will usually show the distribution of differing bedrock types, rock that would be exposed at the surface if all soil or other superficial deposits were removed.[9]