As one reads the micromorphology literature, one finds that there may not be a consistent use or interpretaiton of the terms "soil structure" and "soil fabric". Frequently the terms are used interchangeably. this inconsistent use has caused some confusion. Below are listed some abbreviated interpretations of the terms from several sources:

Soil Structure	Soil Fabric
FitzPatrick (1993) the spatial arrangement and total organization of the soil system as expressed by the degree and type of aggregation and the nature and distribution of the pores and pore space.	The arrangement, size, shape and frequency of the individual solid soil components within the soil as a whole and within fetures themselves
Bullock et al (1985) The size, shape and arrangement of primary particles and voids in both aggregated and non-aggregated material and the size, shape and arrangement of any aggregates present.	The total organization of a soil expressed by the spatial arrangement of the soil constituents (solids, liquids, gasses), their shpae, size, and frequency, condsidered from a configurational, functional and genetic viewpoint.
Brewer (1976) The physical constitution of a soil material as expressed by the size, shape and arrangement of the solid particles and voids, including both the primary particales to form compound particles and the compound particles themselves.	The physical constitution of a soil material as expressed by the spatial arrangement of the solid particles and associated voids. Fabric is the arrangement.
Yong and Warkentin (1975) The gradation and arrangemtn of soil particles, porosity, and pore size distribution, bonding agents and the specific interactions developed between particles through associated electical forces.	the geometric arrangement of the constituent minerals particles, including the void space which can be observed visually or directly using optical and electron microscopic techniques. An assessment of soil fabric is required for a proper evaluation of soil structure.

Generally, fabric is the geometric or spatial arrangement of individual soil particles and voids while structure includes the organization of soil constituents into larger aggregates or compound particles. If using a specific terminology or micorfabric classification system, the use of structure and fabric should be internally consistent.

This page (http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/plymouth/programs/fabric.html) created by
Vera MacConnell, Research Technician, I on December 1, 1997.
Last Updated on December 8, 1997.