Photomicrographic size distribution determination of non-spherical objects

Equations have been developed for calculating the size distribution of non-spherical objects by using photomicrographs prepared of sections or projections of samples. The equations contain the shape function characteristic of the shape of the objects in the sample which is also determined from the photomicrographs. The equations have been applied to the void size distribution determination in various sandstones and packed beds of beads, as well as to the particle size distribution determination of a sample of common salt. It has been found that the new equations resulted in plausible calculated size distributions in the case of highly anisotropic objects, whereas this was not the case when the sphere model was used as a basis for the calculations. In the case of the salt particles, however, the sphere model was almost equally adequate as the shape function method, because the shape function was, in this case, very nearly spherical.