Solid Earth Discussions www.solid-earth-discuss.net 1869-9537 1 1 2009 10.5194/sed-1-93-2009 http://www.solid-earth-discuss.net/1/93/2009/ http://www.solid-earth-discuss.net/1/93/2009/sed-1-93-2009.html http://www.solid-earth-discuss.net/1/93/2009/sed-1-93-2009.pdf 93 141 2009-12-21 Particle size distributions by laser diffraction – Part 1: Sensitivity of granular matter strength to analytical operating procedures F. Storti storti@uniroma3.it F. Balsamo Dipartimento di Scienze Geologiche, Università "Roma Tre", Largo S. L. Murialdo 1, 00146 Roma, Italy We tested laser diffraction particle size analysis in poorly coherent carbonate platform cataclastic breccias and unfaulted quartz-rich eolian sands, representing low- and high-strength granular materials, respectively. 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