Techniques for impregnation of friable specimens

Abstract

A large variety of techniques and chemicals are available to aid the study of fractured and otherwise friable material. Many of the techniques are quite complex, well beyond what someone might wish to do for a once-in-a-while project. This paper will review a series of methods that range from simple to the very forceful and complex techniques needed for specimens with very low permeability. However, it will empasize both the simpler methods and those that have been published since the classic works of Bouma (1969, especially p.1–139, 260–290, & 377–378), Stanley (1971), and Allman and Lawrence (1972, p.73–92).