Changes in crack width on the surface of heavy soils during drought, determined by precise measurement and calculation

Abstract

Abstract In heavy soils, changes in humidity incur soil volume changes. In the horizontal plane, these are manifested by cracks formation and in the vertical plane by the movement of the soil surface. Cracks have a significant impact on hydrodynamics of the soil profile. The work is based on the hypothesis that soil volume changes depend on both the content of clay particles in soil and soil volumetric moisture. The aim of the work is to measure and analyze the changes in the width of the cracks and their reaction to the changes in volumetric soil moisture. One of the objectives of the work was to design a simple tool for accurate measurement and calculation of the crack width on the soil surface. For the study of crack width, a soil profile in an area on the East Slovakia Lowland was selected. The profile was examined under conditions of extreme drought, at the turn of July and August 2022. Crack width varied between 1.0 cm and 3.3 cm. The calculation procedure was evaluated as satisfactory for estimating the change in crack width on the soil surface.