Abstract
Particle size distribution is one of the most significant factors determining physical soil properties. Laser diffraction analysis (LDA) is an alternative method to the traditional hydrometric methods (HM) used to determine particle size distribution in soils. However, significant differences in fraction content are found in relation to the applied methods of a particle size test. Above all, measurements performed by LDA for clayey soils usually produce different results to those based on Stokes’ equation. Methodical problems, such as an appropriate method of dispersing the sample and the selection of LDA calculation theory, also play a significant role in fine soils. This paper contains the results of analyses of Neogene clays from Poland, which are characterized by differentiation with regard to the content of clay fraction particles. In this article, the validity of using laser diffraction analysis (LDA) for the identification and characterization of clayey sediments with common genesis is assessed. The possibility of finding reliable pedotransfer functions to the convert LDA results to a hydrometric analysis is discussed.
Highlights
Particle size distribution (PSD) determines physical and mechanical soil properties
According to the investigations presented in this article, the usefulness of laser diffraction analysis (LDA) for Neogene clays, which are widespread in Poland, was confirmed
On the basis of comparative studies, significant differences in the results obtained by the LDA method were found in relation to the results obtained by the areometric method (HM)
Summary
One of the modern methods, an alternative to traditional hydrometric methods (HM), used in granulometric analyses is laser diffraction analysis (LDA) [1]. The strengths of this technique are the simplicity of use, the rapidity of measurements, the broad measurement range (from 0.01 μm to several millimeter), and high reproducibility [2]. The principle of LDA is the detection of the diffraction pattern created by the particles illuminated by laser light. This diffracted pattern is mainly dependent on the particles size in the sample to be investigated. The use of LDA to determine the PSD of soil has some limitations
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