Size Distribution of Coarse-Grained Soil by Sedimaging
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 140, Issue 4
Abstract
An image-based method has been developed for determination of particle-size distributions of coarse-grained soils in the 0.075–2.0 mm range. The percentage of fines is also determined. The test is referred to as sedimaging because it analyzes an image of a soil that has been rapidly sedimented through water to sort the particles by size. The sorting facilitates image analysis based on wavelet transformation. This paper details the sedimaging hardware, image analysis method, and test procedures. Parallel sedimaging and sieving tests on nine soils of different colors, gradations, and particle shapes showed nearly identical results. Sedimaging holds several advantages over sieving, including decreased testing time, lower energy consumption, less equipment maintenance, and improvement of the work environment.
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Acknowledgments
This material is based on work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant Nos. CMMI-0900105 and CMMI-1300010 and by the Michigan DOT (MDOT) through Contract No. 2010-0296 Research No. ORE0908. ConeTec Investigations Ltd. and the ConeTec Education Foundation are acknowledged for their support to the Geotechnical Engineering Laboratories at the University of Michigan. The authors thank Richard Endres and Al Robords of the MDOT for their valuable comments. Bob Fischer provided design suggestions and constructed the sedimaging system, Nick Brant assisted with design of the soil accumulator, and Merrick Burch constructed the presegregation system.
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Information
Published In
Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 140 • Issue 4 • April 2014
Copyright
© 2013 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Feb 19, 2013
Accepted: Nov 21, 2013
Published online: Dec 23, 2013
Published in print: Apr 1, 2014
Discussion open until: May 23, 2014
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