Microstructural and Tomographic Analyses in Geotechnical Assessment of Soil Media

This paper discusses two different approaches to microanalysis of the soil medium. It presents testing results collected by electromicroscopy, which requires special sample preparation, and a non-destructive method, requiring no sample preparation and using a computer-assisted tomograph. The paper presents:

• Applicability of microstructure analyses and chemical microanalysis in the determination of structural damage incurred in the historical time in relation to the effect of contemporary abiotic events;

• Application of a standard medical computer-assisted tomograph in qualitative assessment of structure and observations of mechanisms of failure in the cement/peat soil composite.

Investigations concerning the applicability of computed tomography in soil micromechanics are demonstrative in character and the presented conclusions suggest further directions for research.