Automated segmentation of wood fibres in micro-CT images of paper

Abstract

A novel algorithm has been developed and validated to isolate individual papermaking fibres in μCT images of paper handsheets as a first step to characterize the structure of paper. The three step fibre segmentation algorithm segments the papermaking fibres by (i) tracking the hollow inside the fibres via a modified connected component methodology, (ii) extracting the fibre walls using a distance transform and (iii) labeling the fibres through collapsed sections by a final refinement step. Further, post processing algorithms have been developed to calculate the length and coarseness of the segmented fibres. The Fibre Segmentation algorithm is the first ever reported method for the automated and robust segmentation of the tortuous 3D morphology of papermaking fibres within microstructural images of paper handsheets. The method is not limited to papermaking fibres, but can be applied to any material consisting of tortuous and hollow fibres.