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- Number 2 - Proceedings of the sixth European congr...
- Evaluation of the pore structure of soil specimens
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Evaluation of the pore structure of soil specimens
Abstract
The pore structure exercises both a direct and an indirect influence on the development of other properties of the soil, in particular on the processes of air and water flow and the ability of the soil to retain water. An attempt has been made at a quantitative evaluation of two basic parameters: the volume fraction and the relative surface of the pores in the soil samples. Evaluation of those parameters was based on the method of stereological analysis and was performed on polished sections. The preparation of the sections was possible after hardening the liquid binder with which the pore spaces of the samples were filled. A method of optical contrasting of the sections was developed for the purpose of easier distinction between the pores (filled with the binder) and the soil particles. Optimal working conditions for the automatic image analyser Metapericolor have been selected so as to ensure correct identification of the components. The results of planar automatic analysis have been verified by comparing them with the results of point and linear analysis carried out directly by the observer.