Abstract
Grain-size distribution is a fundamental tool for interpreting sedimentary units within depositional systems. The techniques assessed in this study are commonly used to determine grain-size distributions for sand-dominated sediments. However, the degree of consistency and differences in interpretation when using a combination of grain-size methods have not yet been assessed systematically for sand-dominated fluvial sediments. Results obtained from laser diffraction, X-ray attenuation and scanning electron microscopy grain-size analysis techniques were compared with those obtained from the traditional sieve/ hydrometer method. Scanning electron microscopy was shown to provide an inaccurate quantitative analysis of grain-size distributions because of difficulties in obtaining representative samples for examination. The X-ray attenuation method is unsuitable for sand-dominated sediments because of its upper size range of only 300 μm. The consistently strong correlation between the laser diffraction results and the sieve/ hydrometer results shows that these methods are comparable for sand-dominated fluvial sediments. Provided that sample preparation is consistent, the latter two methods can be used together within a study of such sediments while maintaining a high degree of accuracy. These results indicate that data for sand-dominated fluvial sediments gained from the long-established sieve/hydrometer method can be compared with confidence to those obtained by modern studies using laser diffraction techniques.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1905-1913 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | Sedimentology |
| Volume | 55 |
| Issue number | 6 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2008 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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A comparison of grain-size analysis methods for sand-dominated fluvial sediments. / Cheetham, Michael D.; Keene, Annabelle F.; Bush, Richard T.; Sullivan, Leigh A.; Erskine, Wayne D.
In: Sedimentology, Vol. 55, No. 6, 2008, p. 1905-1913.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
TY - JOUR
T1 - A comparison of grain-size analysis methods for sand-dominated fluvial sediments
AU - Cheetham, Michael D.
AU - Keene, Annabelle F.
AU - Bush, Richard T.
AU - Sullivan, Leigh A.
AU - Erskine, Wayne D.
PY - 2008
Y1 - 2008
N2 - Grain-size distribution is a fundamental tool for interpreting sedimentary units within depositional systems. The techniques assessed in this study are commonly used to determine grain-size distributions for sand-dominated sediments. However, the degree of consistency and differences in interpretation when using a combination of grain-size methods have not yet been assessed systematically for sand-dominated fluvial sediments. Results obtained from laser diffraction, X-ray attenuation and scanning electron microscopy grain-size analysis techniques were compared with those obtained from the traditional sieve/ hydrometer method. Scanning electron microscopy was shown to provide an inaccurate quantitative analysis of grain-size distributions because of difficulties in obtaining representative samples for examination. The X-ray attenuation method is unsuitable for sand-dominated sediments because of its upper size range of only 300 μm. The consistently strong correlation between the laser diffraction results and the sieve/ hydrometer results shows that these methods are comparable for sand-dominated fluvial sediments. Provided that sample preparation is consistent, the latter two methods can be used together within a study of such sediments while maintaining a high degree of accuracy. These results indicate that data for sand-dominated fluvial sediments gained from the long-established sieve/hydrometer method can be compared with confidence to those obtained by modern studies using laser diffraction techniques.
AB - Grain-size distribution is a fundamental tool for interpreting sedimentary units within depositional systems. The techniques assessed in this study are commonly used to determine grain-size distributions for sand-dominated sediments. However, the degree of consistency and differences in interpretation when using a combination of grain-size methods have not yet been assessed systematically for sand-dominated fluvial sediments. Results obtained from laser diffraction, X-ray attenuation and scanning electron microscopy grain-size analysis techniques were compared with those obtained from the traditional sieve/ hydrometer method. Scanning electron microscopy was shown to provide an inaccurate quantitative analysis of grain-size distributions because of difficulties in obtaining representative samples for examination. The X-ray attenuation method is unsuitable for sand-dominated sediments because of its upper size range of only 300 μm. The consistently strong correlation between the laser diffraction results and the sieve/ hydrometer results shows that these methods are comparable for sand-dominated fluvial sediments. Provided that sample preparation is consistent, the latter two methods can be used together within a study of such sediments while maintaining a high degree of accuracy. These results indicate that data for sand-dominated fluvial sediments gained from the long-established sieve/hydrometer method can be compared with confidence to those obtained by modern studies using laser diffraction techniques.
KW - Hydrometer
KW - Laser diffraction
KW - Scanning electron microscopy
KW - Sieve
KW - X-ray attenuation
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=56349157580&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/j.1365-3091.2008.00972.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1365-3091.2008.00972.x
M3 - Article
VL - 55
SP - 1905
EP - 1913
JO - Sedimentology
JF - Sedimentology
SN - 0037-0746
IS - 6
ER -