Block sampling and test sample preparation of locked sands

After a long period of neglect there has been increasing interest in the sand/sandstone borderline materials, especially concerning the fabric components of their structure (Barton, 1993; Cuccovillo & Coop, 1997; Cuccovillo & Coop, 1999). An interlocked fabric in sands cannot be produced artificially, and investigations have to be carried out on intact samples of these materials. Progress has been delayed by the problem of sampling sands that owe their strength solely to fabric and have little or no bonding. They are extremely friable but resist cutting, owing to the dilation that occurs on disturbance. Locked sands...