Analysis of loess sediment texture in Golestan province according to the microstructure parameters
Subject Areas :
Mineralogy
Somayeh Ghandhari
1
,
Arash Amini
2
,
Ali Solgi
3
,
Hamed Rezaei
4
1 - Department of Earth Sciences, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
2 - Department of Geology, Faculty of Sciences, Golestan University, Gorgan, Iran
3 - Department of Earth Sciences, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
4 - Department of Geology, Faculty of Sciences, Golestan University, Gorgan, Iran
Received: 2018-07-14
Accepted : 2019-04-29
Published : 2019-10-01
Keywords:
Microstructure Analysis,
Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM),
Fabric,
Loess,
Particle Shape,
Abstract :
This study was performed to recognize the loess texture in Golestan Province, Iran using the microstructure analysis according to the electron microscopic images. Loess microstructure study allows for investigating the characteristics of particle shape, fabric, cement and porosity in microscopic images. In recent years, computer analysis has been replaced with manual calculation due to its high speed, precision and ease of use. Since the scanning electron microscope (SEM) digital image analysis method can quantitatively determine the loess microstructure and identify the microstructure changes, it was used to analyze the loess texture. The obtained results showed that the loess microstructure changed from north and northeast to south and southwest of Golestan Province. According to microstructural and sedimentology parameters, Golestan Province loess can be divided into 4 zones. The results also showed that microstructural study of loess sediments in Golestan Province could be a useful tool for loess zoning and separating loess sediments from loess-like deposits.
References:
Assallay A, Rogers C, Smalley I, Jefferson I (1998) Silt: 2–62 μm, 9–4φ, Earth-Science Reviews 45:61-88
Blott SJ, Pye K (2008) Particle shape: a review and new methods of characterization and classification, Sedimentology 55:31-63.
Campaña I, Benito-Calvo A, Pérez-González A, Ortega A, de Castro JB, Carbonell E (2017) Pleistocene sedimentary facies of the Gran Dolinaarchaeo-paleoanthropological site (Sierra de Atapuerca, Burgos, Spain), Quaternary International 433:68-84.
Derbyshire E, Mellors T (1988) Geological and geotechnical characteristics of some loess and loessic soils from China and Britain: a comparison, Engineering Geology 25:135-175.
FathizadehH, TazehM, HamyaliY (2011) Geomorphologic study of sediment aggregation, Universal Congress of Irrigation and Evaporation Reduction, Kerman, Iran,(In Persian).
Feyznia S, Ghayoumian J, Khadjeh M (2005) The study of the effect of physical, chemical, and climate factors on surface erosion sediment yield of loess soils (case study in Golestan province), Pajouhesh-va-Sazandegi 17(1):14-24.
Folk R (1974) Petrology of Sedimentary Rocks: Hemphill Publication Company, Austin, Texas, 182 p.
Folk RL, Ward WC (1957) Brazos River bar: a study in the significance of grain size parameters, Journal of Sedimentary Research 27:3-26.
Gao G (1984) Microstructure of loess soil in China relative to geographic and geologic environment, ActaGeologicaSinica 58:265-270.
Grabowska-Olszewska B (1988) Engineering-geological problems of loess in Poland, Engineering Geology 25:177-199.
Hu R, Yeung M, Lee C, Wang S (2001) Mechanical behavior and microstructural variation of loess under dynamic compaction, Engineering Geology 59:203-217.
Hu R, Yue Z, Tham L, Wang L (2005) Digital image analysis of dynamic compaction effects on clay fills, Journal of geotechnical and geoenvironmental engineering 131:1411-1422.
Hue D, Phile-Wej (2010) Evaluation of the changes in stiff clay microstructure by SEM digital image processing. In: Proceedings of the International Symposium Hanoi Geoengineering, pp: 97-104.
Jefferson I, Evstatiev D, Karastanev D, Mavlyanova N, Smalley I (2003) Engineering geology of loess and loess-like deposits: a commentary on the Russian literature, Engineering Geology 68:333-351.
Karstunen M, Leoni M (2008) Geotechnics of Soft Soils: Focus on Ground Improvement: Proceedings of the 2nd International Workshop held in Glasgow, Scotland,CRC Press.
Khadjeh M, Ghayoumian J, Feyznia S (2005) Investigating the lateral variation of particle size and mineralogy to determine the dominant winds in the formation of sedimentary deposits in Golestan province, International Desert Research Center (IDRC) 9:11-25,(In Persian).
Li Y, Zhang T, Zhang Y, Xu Q (2018) Geometrical appearance and spatial arrangement of structural blocks of the Malan loess in NW China: implications for the formation of loess columns, Journal of Asian Earth Sciences 158:18-28.
Matalucci R, Abdel-Hady M, Shelton J (1970) Influence of microstructure of loess on triaxial shear strength, Engineering Geology 4:341-351
Mazzullo J, Alexander A, Tieh T, Menglin D (1992) The effects of wind transport on the shapes of quartz silt grains, Journal of Sedimentary Research 62(6):961-971.
Moussavi-Harami R (2006) Foundations of Sedimentology.Behnashr (Astan Quds Razavi Publishing), Mashhad, Iran 474p, (In Persian).
Pashaeiavala (1997) Investigation of Physical and Chemical Properties and the Origin of Losses in Gorgan, Scientific Quarterly Journal Geosciences 23-24:67-78, (In Persian).
Pécsi M (1990) Loess is not just the accumulation of dust, Quaternary International 7:1-21.
Pye K (1994) Shape Sorting During Wind Transport of Quartz Silt Grains: Discussion, Journal of Sedimentary Research 64(3):704-705.
Pye K, Sherwin D (1999) Loess, in: Aeoline Environments and landforms, Edited by: Goudie AS, LivingstoneI and Stokes S, Wiley, 336p.
Rezaei H, Lashkaripour GR, Ghafoori M (2011) Engineering Geology Criteria for Evaluation and Classification of Loess in Golestan Province, Journal of Basic and Applied Scientific Research 1(12):2979-2986.
Rezaei H (2013) An investigation of dynamic compaction and static loads on shear strength of loess's soils in golestan province. FerdowsiUniversity, Ph.D thesis, 150p (in persian).
Riley NA (1941) Projection sphericity, Journal of Sedimentary Research 11:94-95.
Rodriguez J, Edeskär T, Knutsson S (2013) Particle shape quantities and measurement techniques: a review, The Electronic journal of geotechnical engineering 18:169-198.
Sanaeiardakani S, Pashaeiaval A, Ekhtesasi M, Ayubi s (2008) Sedimentology Study of Some Noses of Golestan Province Regarding Histological Characteristics Case Study: Gapanolia and South of Gorgan sections, Iranian Journal of Agriculture Science 1:69-75 (In Persian).
Shang Y, Kaakinen A, Beets CJ, Prins MA (2017) Aeolian silt transport processes as fingerprinted by dynamic image analysis of the grain size and shape characteristics of Chinese loess and Red Clay deposits, Sedimentary Geology375:36-48.
Suzuki K, Fujiwara H, Ohta T (2015) The evaluation of macroscopic and microscopic textures of sand grains using elliptic Fourier and principal component analysis: implications for the discrimination of sedimentary environments, Sedimentology 62:1184-1197.
Tysmans D, Haesaerts P, Bogemans F, Claeys P, Finsy R, Van-Molle M (2009) Heterogeneity in homogeneous Brabantian loess during the Late Pleniglacial, Quaternary International 198:195-203.
Vandenberghe J (2013) Grain size of fine-grained windblown sediment: A powerful proxy for process identification, Earth-Science Reviews 121:18-30.
Wadell H (1935) Volume, shape, and roundness of quartz particles, The Journal of Geology 43:250-280.
Wentworth CK (1922) A scale of grade and class terms for clastic sediments, The journal of Geology 30:377-392.
Yang Q, Li C (2012) Research on the impact of drying and wetting cycle of capillary water onweathering of soil sites, Chinese Journal of Underground Space and Engineering 8:517-525.