SOIL FABRIC CHANGES DURING CONSOLIDATION

A method for characterizing the directional distribution of voids in s oils at the microstructural level is presented. A scanning electron mi croscope (SEM) was used to obtain high-resolution, high-magnification images of the soil microstructure. These images were analyzed using an image analysis program to obtain parameters of the directional void r atio distribution function. Useful indices based on both solid and voi d phases for describing the changes of fabric in soils are proposed, a nd their evolution under one-dimensional compression of soils is studi ed. The analyses showed a high degree of preferred orientation attaine d by soil particles during consolidation.