The Objective Comparison of the Particle Size Distributions in Soils with Particular Reference to the Sand Fraction

Abstract

An objective method for the comparison of particle size distributions is applied to the sand fractions of a small collection of soils. The method allows a simple graphical comparison of distributions using the Index of Variability between total sand content and the Maximum Difference between their normalized cumulative distributions. A discriminating power of >0·99 has been obtained at both 95 per cent and 99 per cent confidence levels for the sand fractions and these values are compared with those previously determined for the silt fraction. When the comparisons of sand and silt fractions were used in combination complete discrimination was obtained for the collection of soils examined.