What is it about?
The problem of desiccation cracks in clayey soils is complex for several reasons. In terms of desiccation, any model that pretends to capture the behaviour must be at least hydro-mechanical to capture the coupling between the hydraulic problem of increasing suction and the mechanical problem that govern the deformation. In addition, when the cracking process start, fracture mechanics play its role to identify the locations of the cracks in its development in realistic patterns.
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Why is it important?
Crack produced by desiccation in clayey soils is a problem that has implications in a wide range of ground‐related fields. Geotechnical engineering, agriculture, mining, radioactive waste storage, tailings reservoirs, gravity dams, and public buildings are all affected by cracks due to desiccation. On the other hand, it is a problem that requires powerful methods and a deep understanding of saturated and unsaturated soil behaviour.
Perspectives
This paper results from decades of research by several academics and PhD students. The author of this paper is an expert on the topic and continues working on it to improve the theoretical understanding of the problem in the field and in the laboratory to develop new numerical solutions.
Dr Héctor U. Levatti
London South Bank University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Numerical Solution of Desiccation Cracks in Clayey Soils, Encyclopedia, May 2022, MDPI AG,
DOI: 10.3390/encyclopedia2020068.
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