Novel method to determine the image segmentation threshold during the quantitative test on meso-structure of geo-material

Abstract

As a kind of special material in geotechnical engineering, the mudded weak interlayer plays a crucial part in slope stability. In this paper, we presented a method to determine the threshold value of section micrographs of the mudded weak interlayer in slope during its meso-structure qualification process. Some soil tests, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and image segmentation technology were performed to fulfill our purpose. Specifically, the relation between 3D-porosity and the threshold was obtained by least square fitting of the threshold-porosity curves and a simplified pore equivalent model. Using this relation and the 3D-porosity determined by soil experiments, we can figure out the polynomial equation of the threshold value. The threshold values obtained by the other existing methods in literature were employed to validate our present results.

Keywords

mudded weak interlayer / threshold value / SEM / image segmentation / 3D-porosity

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