Water Resources Applications Software
Summary of SEDSIZE
NAME
sedsize - Particle-size statistics of fluvial sediments
ABSTRACT
SEDSIZE computes Inman, Trask, and Folk statistical parameters based
on phi values and sizes determined for the percent-finer values of
5, 16, 25, 35, 50, 65, 75, 84, 90, and 95 from up to 33 input
particle-size, and percent-finer data pairs. The program also
determines the percentages of gravel, sand, silt, and clay, and the
Meyer-Peter effective diameter.
METHOD
Various investigators have developed sets of statistical measures to
quantify certain features of fluvial particle-size distributions.
These values can then be used for comparisons between samples and
other analytical purposes. These statistics are based on the sizes
of particles for which certain percentages of the sample are either
finer or coarser. Trask (1932) describes the particle-size
distribution using a length (millimeter) dimensional notation;
whereas, Inman (1952) and Folk (1968) use a dimensionless phi
notation developed by Krumbein (1936). The program determines the
values required by each method using linear interpolation and
extrapolation.
HISTORY
Version 1.9 1997/06/02 - Fixed problem with end of file check on
read of direct access files.
Version 1.8 1995/08/11 - Code clean-up, prompts in mixed case
Version 1.4 1994/10/26 - Fortran version as ported to UNIX
workstations
1986 - first release -- Fortran version for use on Prime computers
and a BASIC version for use on personal computers
DATA REQUIREMENTS
Size-distribution data are entered using the interactive program
SIZEDATA. Each distribution (data set) consists of a station
description (up to 80 characters), date of sample, time of sample,
number of particle diameter sizes (up to 33), the diameter sizes in
millimeters, and the percent-finer value for each size. Percent-
finer values of 0 are ignored by the program.
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
SEDSIZE is written in Fortran 77 with the following extension: use
of variable names longer than six characters. Generally, the
program is easily installed on most computer systems. The code has
been used on UNIX-based computers and DOS-based 386 or greater
computers having a math coprocessor and 1 mb of memory.
DOCUMENTATION
Stevens, H.H., and Hubbell, D.W., 1986, Computer programs for
computing particle-size statistics of fluvial sediments: U.S.
Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 86-4141,
72 p.
REFERENCES
Folk, R.L., 1968, Petrology of Sedimentary Rocks: Austin, Hemphill
Publishing Co., p. 44-50.
Inman, D.L., 1952, Measures for describing the size distribution of
sediments: Journal of Sedimentary Petrology, v. 22, no. 3, p.
125-245.
Krumbein, W.C., 1936, Application of logarithmic moments to size
frequency distribution of sediments: Journal of Sedimentary
Petrology, v. 6, no. 1, p. 35-47.
Trask, P.D., 1932, Origin and environment of source sediments of
petroleum: Houston, Gulf Publishing Co., 323 p.
CONTACTS
Operation and Distribution:
U.S. Geological Survey
Hydrologic Analysis Software Support Program
437 National Center
Reston, VA 20192
h2osoft@usgs.gov
Official versions of U.S. Geological Survey water-resources analysis
software are available for electronic retrieval via the World Wide
Web (WWW) at:
http://water.usgs.gov/software/
and via anonymous File Transfer Protocol (FTP) from:
water.usgs.gov (path: /pub/software).
The WWW page and anonymous FTP directory from which the SEDSIZE
software can be retrieved are, respectively:
http://water.usgs.gov/software/sedsize.html
--and--
/pub/software/surface_water/sedsize
SEE ALSO
sizedata(1) - Data entry program for sedsize
The URL for this page is: http://water.usgs.gov/cgi-bin/man_wrdapp?sedsize
Send questions or comments to h2osoft@usgs.gov