An image-based method to determine the particle size distribution (PSD) of fine-grained soil

This paper discusses the PSD effects on the behavior of soil and its properties. The coarse grain part of soil can be analyzed with sieve analysis. Evaluating the PSD of fine-grained soil with the traditional method (hydrometer analysis) is a time-consuming process, has laboratory complexities and the obtained results are not accurate. Due to these limitations, there is a demand for a method that can off er faster data with more accuracy for geotechnical engineering. In this paper, the digital image processing (DIP) method is proposed using microscopic images and MATLAB software to determine the PSD of fine-grained soil. The DIP method was compared with the hydrometer analysis. The analysis of the data obtained from these two methods indicated that the image based method is capable of providing faster and more comprehensive results of the PSD.