@article{fdi:010055706,
  title = {3{D} shape extraction segmentation and representation of soil microstructures using generalized cylinders},
  author = {{N}gom, {N}. {F}. and {M}onga, {O}livier and {O}uld {M}ohamed, {M}. {M}. and {G}arnier, {P}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{T}his paper focuses on the modeling of soil microstructures using generalized cylinders, with a specific application to pore space. {T}he geometric modeling of these microstructures is a recent area of study, made possible by the improved performance of computed tomography techniques. {X}-scanners provide very-high-resolution 3{D} volume images (3-5 mu m) of soil samples in which pore spaces can be extracted by thresholding. {H}owever, in most cases, the pore space defines a complex volume shape that cannot be approximated using simple analytical functions. {W}e propose representing this shape using a compact, stable, and robust piecewise approximation by means of generalized cylinders. {T}his intrinsic shape representation conserves its topological and geometric properties. {O}ur algorithm includes three main processing stages. {T}he first stage consists in describing the volume shape using a minimum number of balls included within the shape, such that their union recovers the shape skeleton. {T}he second stage involves the optimum extraction of simply connected chains of balls. {T}he final stage copes with the approximation of each simply optimal chain using generalized cylinders: circular generalized cylinders, tori, cylinders, and truncated cones. {T}his technique was applied to several data sets formed by real volume computed tomography soil samples. {I}t was possible to demonstrate that our geometric representation supplied a good approximation of the pore space. {W}e also stress the compactness and robustness of this method with respect to any changes affecting the initial data, as well as its coherence with the intuitive notion of pores. {D}uring future studies, this geometric pore space representation will be used to simulate biological dynamics.},
  keywords = {{S}oil microstructures ; {C}omputed tomography images ; 3{D} geometric modeling ; {P}ore space ; {C}omputational geometry ; {V}olume segmentation},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{C}omputers and {G}eosciences},
  volume = {39},
  numero = {},
  pages = {50--63},
  ISSN = {0098-3004},
  year = {2012},
  DOI = {10.1016/j.cageo.2011.06.010},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010055706},
}