The determination of particle size distribution (PSD) of clayey and silty formations using the hydrostatic method

B. Kovács¹, I. Czinkota², L. Tolner², Gy. Czinkota³

¹University of Szeged, Dept. of Mineralogy, Geochemistry and Petrology, 6722 Szeged, Egyetem u. 2-6, Hungary

²Szent István University, Dept. of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Páter Károly u. 1., H-2103 Gödöllő, Hungary;

³ALTAIR Inc., Hegyalja u. 13, H-2151 Fót, Hungary;

Abstract

of particle size distribution (PSD) is one of the most important fundamental physical property of soils, which determines both the physico-chemical, mechanical, geotechnical, moreover environmental behavior of the sediments. Although the measurement of PSD is continuously performed in soil labs using different techniques there are two important problems not solved: automation and continuous PSD curve generation. To overcome the mentioned troubles the new, hydrostatic method of continuous particle size distribution measurement was introduced, and also a new evaluation method the method of finite tangents was developed. To prove the developed methods both for soil testing and measurement evaluation the pilot test EQUIPMENT called ASTA was built. The first measurements shows that the introduced hydrostatic method is suitable for the measurement of PSD curves, the accuracy of measurements using ASTA device was adequate to the measurements with the traditional hydrometer method. The determination

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This work has been supported by the Hungarian Scientific Research Foundation OTKA under grant No. T 32506 and T037667 and by the Ministry of Education Post Doctoral Research Grant.