Techniques to Examine Microfabric and Particle Interaction of Collapsible Soils

Abstract

Many new techniques for quantifying the microfabric of soils and sediments have been developed over the last 5 – 10 years. Most of these techniques are related to image processing and analysis methods, including new methods for quantification of orientation patterns and micro-porosity within samples. In addition, multi-spectral methods derived from remote sensing are now being used in microfabric studies to subdivide images into size or mineral groupings each of which may be analysed subsequently using separate analyses. The aim of this paper is to provide an overall review of many of these latest techniques, most of which have been reported individually in detail elsewhere, but not in the general context provided here. The opportunity of combining the individual techniques as well as their extension to some new applications are considered. In particular, the techniques have been adapted to examine differing orientation patterns within and outside an iron-rich clay aggregation. Practical aspects for the application of the image processing and analysis techniques to the study of microfabric are considered. Examples are given where quantitative analysis provides a useful tool to overall qualitative interpretation. Finally, future developments including the extension of erosion and dilation techniques to fine grain materials, and the extension of the two-dimensional orientation analyses using a new true 3-D algorithm are discussed.