Application of photogrammetry for 3D roughness measurement of failure surface in cemented soils

Cemented soil is widely used for soil improvement due to its durability and comprehensiveness. There is a growing interest in understanding the physicochemical and morphological states of cemented soil surfaces to improve their strength and functional properties. In particular, deep soil mixing (DSM) is used to create cement–soil structures in geotechnical applications. This study aims to offer a new application of photogrammetry. The failure surface roughness parameters were then determined for the reconstructed 3D surfaces. The cemented-soil samples tested contained additives of petroleum substances and heavy metals, which occur randomly in post-industrial and degraded soils. The relationship between the parameters and tensile strength was analyzed, and the influence of material components on the tensile strength parameter was discussed. In this article, photogrammetric measurements were carried out on the surfaces of cemented soil samples that were previously brought to destruction using the Brazilian test. The authors propose a new procedure for processing photogrammetric data to characterize roughness parameters. This paper provides valuable insight into the study of factors affecting the tensile strength of cemented soil, which may contribute to the development of more efficient and sustainable construction material. The roughness parameters of the failure surface of the sample are appropriate descriptors to achieve the desired level of durability of built and existing soil structures.