Micromorphometry and micro morphology of a clay soil sample treated with a ferric conditioner

Abstract

AbstractInvestigations on porosity and pedological features were carried out on thin sections of samples of a clay soil treated with a ferric conditioner. The effect of wetting‐drying cycles was considered and also surface shrinkage was determined.Micromorphometric determinations of porosity, pore size distribution and number of pores per mm2 were carried out by a Leitz‐Classimat apparatus. Pore shape and pedological features of ferric compounds were analysed by the point‐count method.Surface shrinkage data show great differences between treated and control samples at the first wetting‐drying cycle but similar values at the end of the experiment.The statistical processing of micromorphometric data shows significant differences between the control and treated soil material. Wetting‐drying cycles influence the number of pores and porosity mainly in the treated soil samples. The pore size distribution is more homogeneously represented in all size classes within treated samples. Also the statistical processing of data of pore shapes and pedological features shows significant differences between control and treated soil samples. Only planar pores are not influenced by the treatment. The wetting‐drying cycles affect neither the pore shape, except for planar pores, nor the different pedological features.