A New Approach for Calculating Texture Coefficients of Different Rocks With Image Segmentation and Image Processing Techniques

The texture coefficient (TC) is a critical parameter used to analyze the microstructural characteristics of rocks and predict their mechanical behavior. In recent years, various computational programs and software have been employed to estimate the TC values of rocks. However, existing methods remain insufficient and time-consuming for accurately determining rock TCs. In this study, thin-section images of 20 different igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks were acquired and segmented to calculate TC values using a novel approach. The computation process was implemented using Python-based software that integrates segmentation and image processing techniques to determine TC values. The thin-section images were segmented utilizing a deep learning-based image processing technique, and a Python-based algorithm was developed for TC calculations. The proposed method offers a unique approach to TC estimation in rocks, achieving a high segmentation accuracy (IoU = 0.97). Furthermore, with this method, the TC value of any given rock can be computed in approximately 1 min.