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THIN DIAMOND-CUT AGGREGATE TEST SAMPLES SAVE STORAGE SPACE

A THIN SECTION TECHNIQUE WAS DEVELOPED BY THE BUREAU OF MATERIALS, NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, TO PERMIT EXTENSIVE PETROGRAPHIC EXAMINATION UNDER THE MICROSCOPE OF AGGREGATE SAMPLES. THE DETAILED EXAMINATION ALLOWS ACCURATE IDENTIFICATION OF THE COMPOSITION AND PROVIDES INFORMATION ON AGGREGATE FOR USE IN CONCRETE. A DIAMOND SAW IS USED TO CUT STONE IN SUCCESSIVE CUTS, UNTIL IT IS SMALL ENOUGH TO FIT ON A GLASS SLIDE. THE STONE IS THEN DROPPED INTO A COMPARTMENT OF AN ORDINARY ICE-TRAY AND COVERED WITH EPOXY THAT HARDENS INTO A BLOCK. THEN THE DIAMOND SAW IS USED TO CUT A FLAT SURFACE ON THE LOWER SIDE OF THE BLOCK. THIS FACE IS THEN GROUND WITH A DIAMOND WHEEL AND MOUNTED ON A GLASS SLIDE. THE DIAMOND SAW MAKES ANOTHER CUT PARALLEL TO REDUCE THE SPECIMEN TO A WAFER 0.12-IN. THICK. THEN THE DIAMOND WHEEL REDUCES THE WAFER TO 0.001-IN. THICKNESS. THE THIN SECTION IS THEN RINSED WITH WATER, STAINED WITH AN ORGANIC DYE, AND COVERED WITH A THIN MATCHING GLASS SLIDE. THE THIN TEST SECTION IS PREPARED IN LESS THAN 15 MINUTES AFTER THE INITIAL MOUNTING ON A GLASS SLIDE. THE CONCENTRATION OF STORAGE SPACE MADE POSSIBLE BY USE OF THIN SECTION SPECIMENS ENABLES THE STAFF TO MAKE QUICK COMPARISONS OF SPECIMENS FROM THE SAME SOURCE AND FROM DIFFERENT SOURCES. THE THIN SECTION TECHNIQUE MAKES POSSIBLE SPEEDY ANALYSIS OF SPECIMENS FROM THE SITE SO THAT REMEDIAL ACTION CAN BE TAKEN IMMEDIATELY.

  • Supplemental Notes:
    • Vol 3, No 5, PP 99-100, 4 PHOT
  • Publication Date: 1968-5

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  • Accession Number: 00217784
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Files: TRIS
  • Created Date: Apr 21 1994 12:00AM