There are two separate aspects of fabric arrangement that applies to all individuals (mineral grains, voids) at all levels of resolution: distribution and orientation patterns.

DISTRIBUTION PATTERNS

Basic Distribution-individuals with regard to each other

Random. The individuals are distributed randomly throughout the soil material.
Clustered. The individuals are concentrated i nclusters or groups.
Banded. the individuals are concentrated in bands or sheets.
Radial. The indivduals are grouped along radiating lines.
Concentric. the individuals are grouped along approximately concentric lines or surfaces.

Referred Distribution-indiviuals with regard to reference feature

Unrelated. The pattern of distribution is unrelated to any reference feature.
Normal. Individuals, or groups of them, are arranged perpendicular to the specific reference feature.
Parallel. Individuals, or groups, are arranged parallel to the specific reference feature.
Inclined. Individuals, or groups of them, are arranged at roughly a constant angle to the specific reference feature.
Cutanic. The indivials are associated with natural surfaces in the soil material.
Subcutanic. Individuals, or groups of them, are arranged parallel and close to adjoining natural surfaces.
Noncutanic. The individuals have no relationships to natural surfaces.

Related Distribution-individuals with regard to those of a different kind.

Porphyroskelic. The plasma occurs as a dense groundmass in which skeleton grains are set after the manner of phenocrysts in a porphyritic rock.
Agglomeroplasmic. The plasma occurs as loose or incomplete fillings in the intergranular space between skeleton grains.
Intertextic. The skeleton grains are linked by intergranular braces or are embedded in a porous groundmass.
Granular. There is no plasma, or all the plasma occurs as pedological features.

ORIENTATION PATTERNS

Basic ZOrietation. Individuals that can be observed and measured.

Strongly Oriented. More than 60% of the individuals are oriented with their principal axis within 30° of each other.
Moderately oriented. Between 40 and 60% of the individuals are oriented with their principal axis within 30° of each other.
Weakly Oriented. Between 20 and 40% of the individuals are oriented with their principal axis within 30° of each other.
Unoriented. There is no preferred orientation.

This page (http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/plymouth/programs/princ.html) created by
Vera MacConnell, Research Technician, I on December 12, 1997.
Last Updated on December 16, 1997.