The Analysis and Distribution of the Properties of Packing in Sand-Size Sediments: 1. On the Measurement of Packing in Sandstones

A brief history of packing as it relates to sand-size sediments is presented. Packing is divided into two aspects: the unit property of packing and the aggregate property. A technique for measuring the former is adopted from the work of Masson (1951) and Winsauer et al. (1952) and is called, by this writer, packing proximity ({aastex} {amsbsy} {amsfonts} {amssymb} {bm} {mathrsfs} {pifont} {stmaryrd} {textcomp} {portland,xspace} {amsmath,amsxtra} {wasysym} {empty} {10}{9}{7}{6} {document}Pₚ{document}). It is expressed as the percentage of grain-to-grain contacts in a traverse of n contacts. A technique for measuring the aggregate property of packing is introduced and is termed packing density ({aastex} {amsbsy} {amsfonts} {amssymb} {bm} {mathrsfs} {pifont} {stmaryrd} {textcomp} {portland,xspace} {amsmath,amsxtra} {wasysym} {empty} {10}{9}{7}{6} {document}Pd{document}). It is expressed as {aastex} {amsbsy} {amsfonts} {amssymb} {bm} {mathrsfs} {pifont} {stmaryrd} {textcomp} {portland,xspace} {amsmath,amsxtra} {wasysym} {empty} {10}{9}{7}{6} {document}m ∑ᵢ₌₁ⁿgᵢt× 100,{document} where n is the total number of grains in a given traverse, gi is the grain intercept size of the ith. grain in the traverse, m is a magnification constant, and T is the length of the traverse. It is suggested that the two parameters, {aastex} {amsbsy} {amsfonts} {amssymb} {bm} {mathrsfs} {pifont} {stmaryrd} {textcomp} {portland,xspace} {amsmath,amsxtra} {wasysym} {empty} {10}{9}{7}{6} {document}Pₚ{document} and {aastex} {amsbsy} {amsfonts} {amssymb} {bm} {mathrsfs} {pifont} {stmaryrd} {textcomp} {portland,xspace} {amsmath,amsxtra} {wasysym} {empty} {10}{9}{7}{6} {document}Pd{document}, are meaningful in terms of the sediment under consideration and that adoption of these techniques will prove fruitful in any subsequent studies. This is the first in a series of papers concerned, in general, with packing in sand-size sediments, and it deals with a brief review of the history of packing as it relates particularly to sandstones. Techniques for measuring packing are suggested. The subsequent paper will deal with the distribution of the properties of packing in a group of quartzites, graywackes, and arkoses. Furthermore, the relationships between the properties of packing, as evidenced by these three rock types, will be analyzed and discussed.