The term Exfoliation refers to:

It is a subtype of Frost weathering which occurs due to growth of ice within pores & cracks of rocks during repeated cycle of freezing and melting.

It is a granular disintegration where salt crystals in near surface pores cause splitting of individual grains within rocks.

In areas of curved ground surface, arched fractures tend to produce massive sheets, the process is called as exfoliation.

It is a process in which plant roots exert a tremendous pressure on the earth materials mechanically breaking them apart.