5: Soil Fabric & Measurement

the arrangement of particles, particle groups and pore spaces in a soil

the combined effects of fabric, composition and interparticle forces in a soil

no face-to-face association of clay particles

face-to-face (FF) association of several clay particles

edge-to-edge (EE) or edge-to-face (EF) association of aggregates

no association between aggregates

single forms of particle interaction at the level of individual clay, silt or sand particles

units of particle organization having definable physical boundaries and a specific mechanical function, and which consist of one or more forms of the elementary particle arrangements

fluid and/or gas filled voids within the soil fabric

consisting of the regular aggregations of particles and the very small pores between them (up to a few tens of micrometers across)

consisting of the aggregations of the microfabric and the interassemblage pores between them (may be a few hundred micrometers in size)

consisting of cracks, fissures, root holes, laminations and the like that correspond to transassemblage pores