"Image Analysis Of Coarse Aggregate By Image Processing Using Matlab"

     To ensure the performance of various concrete structures, Aggregates need to pass numerous tests. The measurement of the size distribution and shape characteristics of an aggregate is therefore an important step in studying how these parameters influence the performance of concrete and in optimizing concrete mix design.
     However, most of these tests are requiring manual, labour intensive, cost ineffective measurements that do not provide significant statistical validity. In the advent of new technology, digital imaging have now allowed to measure geometric parameters in a more realistic and reliable way. In this research, shape properties of coarse aggregates are compared using image analysis by determining sieve analysis with traditional method.   

     Digital-image processing consists of converting camera pictures into digital form and applying various mathematical procedures to extract relevant information from the picture. This was made possible by using the Image Processing Toolbox of Matlab. The results of image analysis showed that the shape of coarse aggregate samples varies in accordance with the increment size where the samples are retained. Figure 4.8 shows the final graph of the average Bounding Box dimensions in inches. As observed, it can be stated that the values of average height is directly proportional with the values of the average width which means that the coarse aggregates that were analyzed in the image analysis are granular materials.