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The topology of pore structure in cracking clay soil. II. Connectivity density and its estimation
Author(s) -
SCOTT G. J. T.,
WEBSTER R.,
NORTCLIFF S.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
journal of soil science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.244
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1365-2389
pISSN - 0022-4588
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2389.1988.tb01218.x
Subject(s) - windsor , subsoil , series (stratigraphy) , cracking , section (typography) , volume (thermodynamics) , soil science , geology , materials science , soil water , computer science , composite material , physics , paleontology , operating system , quantum mechanics
SUMMARY Pores in soil, especially in cracking clays, interconnect in more or less complex patterns. The complexity of the pattern can be represented by its connectivity. The connectivity of a network of cracks is the number of loops in it, and the number of loops per unit volume of soil is the connectivity density (G v ) . The patterns of cracks wider than 60 μm were exposed in parallel sections 50 μm apart, photographed and skeletonized. Loops were tracked from one section to another and counted. Other loops completed in three dimensions but not apparent in horizontal sections were recognized and added to the count. The counts were linearly related to the number of sections examined, and by regression analysis stable and precise estimates of G v were obtained for the clay subsoils of Windsor and Swanwick soil series from as few as eight sections. The connectivity density of the crack pattern in the Windsor subsoil was approximately 300 cm −3 and that of the Swanwick series about 195 cm −3 .