A Technique for the Study of the Volume and Textural Parameter Evolution of Marine Coarse Sediments

In this article, we detail a novel technique for measuring volume and textural parameters of coarse-grained marine sediments. The technique combines radio frequency identification (RFID) technology for sediment tracking with 3-D scanning for volume measurement. The technique is applied to real marine sediments collected from the beach under study. In the preliminary phase, the sediments are scanned using a low-cost 3-D scanning system and then fitted with an embedded RFID transponder, which allows their unambiguous identification. The pebbles are then deployed on the beach and, after a predefined period of time, they are located and retrieved by means of an ad-hoc RFID reader used as a detector. After retrieval, the pebbles are 3-D scanned to collect data on the volumetric changes that result from the abrasion and chipping processes caused by intergranular friction on their surfaces from water movements (mostly sea waves). The technique allows for an accurate estimation of morphological variations of sediments, thereby providing essential insights into sediment stability and, on a broader scale, coastal erosive processes. Moreover, it allows the study of the evolution of a number of textural parameters, such as sphericity or angularity, which can be extracted from the 3-D model.