Multiscale analysis by images of the microstructure of sandy sediments

Fractal geometry emerges as an alternative tool to represent and estimate the complexity found in the nature. The use of technologies and techniques of digital image processing for analysis using fractal geometry and statistical analysis as an alternative or complement to direct exploration and estimation of mechanical parameters and properties of soils in laboratory soil physics is useful for a professional of mechanics of soils, or civil engineer because it offers more tools that allows to define the behavior of the soil and study on its microstructure attributes. In this paper it is achieved to correlated variables: angle of internal friction and cohesion, obtained from the traditional mechanical assay, with mass fractal dimension and Hurst exponent, extracted from the multi-scale digital image processing of different samples of sandy sediments of the city of Veracruz. A Hurst exponent in the range between 0.07 and 0.25 is correlated with an angle of internal friction between 22 and 39 degrees, showing a high correspondence between the two. However, the correlation between cohesion and the Hurst exponent presents differences, since the structure solid pore of the system does not present significant cohesive properties. The use of multi-scale digital images, analysis and processing using fractal geometry to quantify attributes present in the soil has been a tool that demonstrates its effectiveness and can be used as an alternative to the physical test procedure.