Soil Desiccation Cracking Research Articles

Phenotypic Trait of Painting Cracks

ABSTRACT A painting, like human skin, develops cracks on the surface as it dries and ages. The painting cracks, also known as craquelure, are often considered analogous to human fingerprints; these have been regarded as a unique signature reflective of the painting’s characteristics and are important in art authentication. Intriguingly, studies in other fields, such as geology, have observed the presence of distinctive characteristics in soil desiccation cracks. These cracks exhibit self-similarity, forming patterns that suggest broader geological processes at work. In light of this connection, the primary objective of this study is to investigate whether the painting cracks also exhibit a self-similar nature. By delving into this, we seek to shed light on the underlying properties of the painting cracks. This study also aims to investigate whether the characteristic self-similar trait of the cracks can serve as an identifier in relation to the provenances of the paintings. To this end, this study adopts the methodology originally designed to characterize the phenotypic traits of 3D particle geometries in granular materials research. This study develops a 2D equivalent concept, focusing on the phenotypic traits of the individual islands enclosed by cracks within paintings. The results successfully demonstrate that the phenotypic trait of painting cracks exhibits a self-similar nature, which can reveal characteristics associated with the provenances of paintings. The findings will offer valuable insights into the scientific examination of artworks based on painting cracks.

Pore-fluid salinity effect on desiccation cracking of fine-grained soils

Pore-fluid salinity effect on desiccation cracking of fine-grained soils

Insight into the initiation and propagation mechanism of desiccation cracking in clayey soil from DEM simulations

Desiccation cracking, a common natural phenomenon, significantly affects the mechanical and hydraulic properties of clayey soils. This study employs 3D Discrete Element Method (DEM) to investigate the initiation and propagation mechanisms of soil desiccation cracking. By integrating water evaporation at the soil surface and water transportation between soil grains into a traditional DEM model, we unveil a sequential and hierarchical pattern in the development of desiccation cracks. Initially, micro cracks proliferate and coalesce in regions of soil defects characterized by the lowest coordination numbers, leading to the genesis of primary cracks. Subsequently, a complex network of cracks propagates, governed by the interplay between cracking and the redistribution of the tensile stress field. As desiccation advances, the detachment of soil from the bottom wall and an increase in soil strength contribute to the stabilization of the crack network. Notably, the hierarchical nature of desiccation cracking is predominantly shaped by initial soil defects and subsequently refined by stress concentration within the soil clods, correlating with changes in the length-to-height ratio of the soil clods.

Sustainable Solution on Desiccation Crack Mitigation with Recycled Glass Sand

Desiccation cracking is a frequent natural phenomenon that occurs in drying soil and has a significant negative impact on the mechanical and hydraulic properties of clay or geomaterials in various engineering applications. In this study, recycled glass sand (RGS) was used to reduce the plasticity of clay soil and mitigate desiccation cracks in clay soils. The effect of the RGS particle size and content was investigated using a desiccation crack observation test. Digital image processing technology was used to evaluate the crack rate, length, width, and area during the observation test. The results reveal that the cracking rate was inversely proportional to the RGS content and directly proportional to the RGS particle size. For instance, the cracking rate of clay soil treated with 25% RGS with a particle size of 0.15 mm was reduced to 0.17% compared with untreated soil. The strengths of the untreated and RGS-treated soils were evaluated through unconfined compression tests. The unconfined compressive strength of the RGS-treated clay soil decreased slightly with the addition of RGS. In general, the addition of RGS has great potential for mitigating desiccation cracks in clay soils.

Enhancing Soil Resilience to Climatic Wetting‐Drying Cycles Through a Bio‐Mediated Approach

AbstractClimatic wetting‐drying cycles exacerbated by climate change can trigger several weakening mechanisms in surface soils, potentially leading to instability and failure of slopes and earthen structures. This study proposes a bio‐mediated approach based on microbially induced calcite precipitation (MICP) to increase soil resilience to wetting‐drying cycles. To explore its viability and the underlying mechanisms, we conducted a series of laboratory tests on clayey soil that underwent six wetting‐drying cycles. The tests were conducted with different treatment methods to investigate the effect of treatment sequence and cementation solution concentration. After MICP treatment, the initial evaporation rate, surface crack ratio during drying, and total soil weight loss during rainfall erosion were reduced by up to 32%, 85%, and 90%, respectively. Spraying the cementation solution first in the MICP treatment sequence proves more effective in improving soil water retention capacity. On the other hand, initiating the sequence with the bacterial solution demonstrates a more pronounced effect in reducing soil desiccation cracks and erosion. Microstructure analysis reveals that the content and distribution of CaCO3 precipitation are the major factors controlling the effectiveness of MICP for the cementation of clayey soil. Employing MICP can minimize the carbon footprint and contribute to developing environmentally friendly solutions for soil improvement in regions affected by climatic wetting‐drying cycles.

Investigation on structure, evaporation, and desiccation cracking of soil with straw biochar

AbstractTo investigate the cracking behavior in the evaporation process of the soil surface with biochar as an additive, five experimental groups were established in the natural environment with 0, 12, 60, 120, and 170 g·kg−1 biochar. The results of an investigation on organic matter and aggregations indicate that a high content of biochar can significantly improve the content of organic matter and the amount of soil aggregates. After adding 60 and 170 g·kg−1 biochar, the content of organic matter increased by 19.47% and 84.12%, respectively, and the content of soil aggregates with an average diameter greater than 0.25 mm increased by 16.43% and 38.20%, respectively. The investigation also examines the evaporation and cracking characteristics of soils that contain biochar. The rate of evaporation is approximately a “step” type function with time. The rate of evaporation is observed in three stages: the rapid, decelerating, and final evaporation stages. In the rapid evaporation stage, the initial evaporation rate of the sample that contains biochar is increased on average by 46%. The fractal dimension and cracks rate are decreased by 22.95% and 20.99% with 120 g·kg−1 biochar addition. This means that the increase of soil organic matter after adding biochar plays a crucial role in the stability of aggregates. As a soil conditioner, biochar has the ability to enhance soil water retention capacity and is a sustainable strategy to improve soil properties.

A 3D discrete model for soil desiccation cracking in consideration of moisture diffusion

Soil desiccation cracking is a common phenomenon on the earth surface. Numerical modeling is an effective approach to study the desiccation cracking mechanism of soil. However, no three-dimensional (3D) model in the literature can consider the influence of desiccation cracking on moisture migration. To fill this gap, this work develops a novel 3D moisture diffusion discrete model that is capable of dynamically assessing the effect of cracking on moisture diffusion and allowing moisture to be discontinuous on both sides of the cracks. Then, the parametric analysis of the moisture exchange coefficient in the 3D moisture diffusion discrete model is carried out for moisture diffusion in continuous media, and the selection criterion of the moisture exchange coefficient for the unbroken cohesive element is given. Subsequently, an example of moisture migration in a medium with one crack is provided to illustrate the crack hindering effect on moisture migration. Finally, combining the 3D moisture diffusion discrete model with the finite-discrete element method (FDEM), the moisture diffusion-fracture coupling model is built to study the desiccation cracking in a strip soil and the crack pattern of a rectangular soil. The evolution of crack area and volume with moisture content is quantitatively analyzed. The modeling number and average width of cracks in the strip soil show a good consistency with the experimental results, and the crack pattern of the rectangular soil matches well with the existing numerical results, validating the coupled moisture diffusion-fracture model. Additionally, the parametric study of soil desiccation cracking is performed. The developed model offers a powerful tool for exploring soil desiccation cracking.

Amplifying feedback loop between drought, soil desiccation cracking, and greenhouse gas emissions

Abstract Approximately two-thirds of the energy imbalance responsible for the rise in global temperatures can be attributed to the increase of carbon dioxide (CO2) released into the atmosphere (1). While the primary anthropogenic source of increased atmospheric CO2 concentration is the combustion of fossil fuels, the largest terrestrial source of CO2 emissions is soil (2) where 80% of the total terrestrial carbon is stored. Approximately 62% of soil carbon is in organic form and readily released as CO2, while the remaining is made up of inorganic carbon (SIC) (3). Here, we postulate that there is an amplifying feedback loop between drought, soil desiccation cracking, and CO2 emission in a warming climate (Fig. 1) – a critical aspect that has been overlooked in the existing literature. Further, we argue that the postulated feedback loop affects the emissions of other greenhouse gases (GHGs), such as methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O), from soils. The urgent need to recognize and characterize this exacerbating feedback loop is twofold. Firstly, it is widely acknowledged that drought accelerates the oxidation of SOC and, thus, increases CO2 emissions into the atmosphere. Drought-induced soil moisture deficits cause plants to reduce their rates of photosynthesis and respiration, resulting in reduced carbon uptake and increased carbon emissions from the soil. Secondly, drought triggers soil desiccation cracking, substantially increasing the permeability of the soil and the interfacial exchange area between the atmosphere and the soil, which, in turn, can considerably increase CO2 efflux in soil by exposing deeper and older stores of soil carbon. Desiccation cracking threatens earthen infrastructure systems and the natural environment. The problems associated with desiccation cracks are becoming more prevalent as anthropogenic climate change exacerbates the severity and frequency of droughts, heatwaves, and drought-heavy precipitation cycles (4). As the warming trends continue, more (and possibly older) CO2 is released from the soil, which can further contribute to global warming. Thus, a chain of events happens in a cascading manner. Failure to consider the hypothesized feedback loop can result in significant inaccuracies when modeling and predicting GHG emissions from soil. It may also lead to underestimating the overall impact of climate change on critical aspects such as soil health, crop production, and the structural integrity of earthen infrastructure.

Role of Substrate Roughness in Soil Desiccation Cracking

Soil desiccation crack is ubiquitous in nature, yet the physics of its initiation and propagation remain under debate, as it involves complex interactions across multiple fields of mechanics, hydraulics, and thermals. Here, an experimental attempt is made to uncover the role of substrate roughness on the soil desiccation process. The substrate roughness is deliberately fabricated by 3D printing, whereas the thickness of sample and environmental humidity are controlled to eliminate the effect of large hydraulic gradient. Four types of soils with varying expansibilities were desiccated on substrates with varying roughness. It reveals that: (1) soil desiccation crack evolution can be conceived as a competing process between the shear failure of soil-substrate interface, i.e., slippage of interface, and the tensile failure of soil, i.e., crack initiation, in minimizing the total energy of drying soil; (2) substrate roughness alters the failure mode and shear strength of soil-substrate interface and its sensitivity to moisture, thereby it regulates the pattern of how soil crack propagates upon drying; (3) soil expansibility is recognized as a key factor governing the crack-initiation point in addition to the widely recognized air-entry, and flaws in soil are the sources for the 120° crack angle and bimodal crack angle distribution.

Suppressing Drought-Induced Soil Desiccation Cracking Using MICP: Field Demonstration and Insights

Suppressing Drought-Induced Soil Desiccation Cracking Using MICP: Field Demonstration and Insights

Quantification of Desiccation Cracking and Strain Localization in Lime-Treated Compacted Expansive Soils Using DIA and DIC

Quantification of Desiccation Cracking and Strain Localization in Lime-Treated Compacted Expansive Soils Using DIA and DIC

Effects of geometry of soil specimens on the formation of desiccation cracks

Desiccation cracks in soils are important in engineering structures that need hydraulic integrity such as earth dams, and containment facilities. At the element test level, such cracks are a hindrance when the volume change of the soil specimen needs to be measured during the test. One such test is the volumetric shrinkage test where the volume of the soil specimen needs to be continuously determined together with its mass change as the soil specimen dries. The soil specimen may deform non-uniformly. Previously hazardous and cumbersome methods using mercury or wax are needed to determine the volume of soil specimens that deform non-uniformly, but the advent of 3D scanning and photogrammetry enables the volume of non-uniform soil specimens to be measured quite accurately. However, such techniques cannot accurately determine the volume of the deformed soil specimen once cracks start appearing in the soil specimen. Volumetric shrinkage tests are commonly conducted for cylindrical soil specimens. This paper investigates the geometry (shapes and dimensions) of soil specimens other than cylindrical on the formation of desiccation cracks. Bentonite is used as the test soil as it experiences large volume change on drying. The test results provide guidance for the geometry of a soil specimen to be used in the volumetric shrinkage test.

Breathing Phenomenon of Soil Desiccation Cracking: Insights From Novel Geophysical Observations

AbstractDrought‐induced soil desiccation cracking is a common natural phenomenon on the earth surface, which plays a significant role in influencing the hydro‐mechanical behavior of soils across various earthen engineering applications. However, there is still a scarcity of related studies investigating how field soil desiccation cracking responds to climate action. This study develops an innovative geophysical monitoring framework for investigating field desiccation cracking behaviors by utilizing the distributed fiber optical sensing (DFOS) technique based on optical frequency domain reflectometry (OFDR). The feasibility and significant potential of the DFOS‐OFDR framework in advancing soil desiccation cracking research is demonstrated through the implementation of field monitoring tests. The results not only indicate that the strain distribution curves of fiber optic cables at different depths provide insights into the soil shrinkage characteristics and the crack localization capability but also demonstrate the early detection capability of the DFOS‐OFDR framework for soil desiccation cracking from a visual perspective. Importantly, the field monitoring tests reveal that under the influence of climate change, desiccation cracking exhibits a distinctive pattern of periodic propagation and narrowing. This intriguing phenomenon is referred to as “soil crack breathing.” Additionally, the DFOS‐OFDR framework exhibits enhanced sensitivity in sensing the soil crack breathing phenomenon than visual observation methods. This innovative geophysical monitoring framework not only enables real‐time observation, continuous measurement, and high‐resolution characterization of soil desiccation cracking behavior but also serves as a valuable high‐precision observational method for investigating the complex soil‐atmosphere interactions under the influence of climate change.

Influence of layer thickness on bioremediation of drought-induced soil desiccation cracks using microbially induced calcite precipitation

Influence of layer thickness on bioremediation of drought-induced soil desiccation cracks using microbially induced calcite precipitation

Evaporation and desiccation cracking of soils: Experiment evidence and insight on the freeze-thaw cycle dependence

The cracking of clayey soils in seasonally frozen regions is affected by cyclic drying-wetting and freezing-thawing. Understanding the mechanism governing soil cracking behavior is crucial for the construction and long-term operation of infrastructures and earthworks. In this study, a series of laboratory tests were conducted on clayey soils, including freezing-thawing tests and evaporation tests. The evaporation rate and surface cracks evolution were monitored. The cracking mechanism of soils were analyzed. Results show that both the initially unsaturated and oversaturated soils exhibit an increase in evaporation rate with increasing freeze-thaw (FT) cycles in the early stage. Under the same FT and drying conditions, initially unsaturated soils show a higher evaporation rate in the early stage than oversaturated soils, followed by a lower rate after entering the residual stage. In addition, cyclic FT accelerates the propagation of the number of crack segments, surface crack ratio, and total crack length, but weakens the propagation of average crack width. Moreover, it was found that for initially unsaturated soils, desiccation-induced matrix suction plays a leading role in producing wide, rough, and curved desiccation cracking patterns. While for initially oversaturated soils, freezing-induced ice pressure/cryogenic suction dominates, resulting in short, fine, and straight frost cracking patterns.

Control of expansive soil desiccation cracks via helical auxetic yarn

Soil shrinkage leads to cracking of expansive soil during desiccation. Prevention of crack propagation in soil is of paramount importance. This research examines the effect of auxetic yarns, in control of expansive soil desiccation cracks. In this study, auxetic yarns with optimal properties were produced. Using an innovative test method, the influence of auxetic yarn structure on the prevention of soil crack propagation was investigated. It was found that the inclusion of auxetic yarns in the expansive soil results in a 9.94% reduction in crack propagation of the soil. In order to confirm the positive effect of auxetic yarns on the behavior of the soil samples, pull-out test was conducted on the auxetic yarns incorporated in the soil samples. The interaction between the soil and the auxetic yarn was found to be much higher than the interaction between the equivalent non-auxetic yarn and the same soil. This was not only attributed to the transverse expansion of auxetic yarn, but also to the helical structure that occurs in such yarn during the pull-out. The auxetic effect of the yarn results in a 27.3% increase in the force needed to pull the yarn from the soil matrix.

Desiccation cracking remediation through enzyme induced calcite precipitation in fine-grained soils under wetting drying cycles

The effects of desiccation cracking in clay soils on geotechnical constructions are substantial. This study investigates the viability of utilizing Enzyme-induced calcite precipitation (EICP), a bio inspired approach, as a potential solution for addressing desiccation cracking in fine-grain soils. For the EICP technique, crude soybean extract is employed for the purpose of urea hydrolysis. Multiple fluid samples, including a control sample, a cementation solution containing 1 M urea, 0.675 M CaCl2, and 4 g/L milk, along with various concentrations of enzyme solutions (3–80 g/L), were tested for the study. To evaluate the surface cracking patterns, the method involved constant monitoring and photo recording using a high-resolution camera aided by image processing software. The results showed that fine-grain soils improved from increased calcite precipitation and decreased desiccation cracking intensity when the EICP method was used. Cementation and enzyme solution with low concentrations (3 g/L and 10 g/L) had similar effects on crack remediation, suggesting a modest influence. In contrast to the sample treated with water, the crack network remained unaltered in this case. CaCO3 precipitation within the void area kept the crack network in place even as the void thickness decreased at increasing enzyme concentrations (30 g/L, 50 g/L, and 80 g/L). Wetting and drying cycles were found to decrease the crack ratio, crack width, and crack length in the EICP-treated sample, particularly under higher concentrations of urease enzyme. Lower enzyme concentrations of 3 g/L and 10 g/L have minimal impact on crack remediation but effectively inhibit new crack formation. Furthermore, higher enzyme concentrations result in calcium carbonate precipitates, forming a soil crust and increasing surface roughness. The study aims to enhance understanding of the EICP methodology and to provide novel perspectives on potential uses for soil enhancement.

Desulfurization steel slag improves the saline-sodic soil quality by replacing sodium ions and affecting soil pore structure

Flue gas desulfurization steel slag (DS), a solid waste produced by coal power plants and steelworks, was proposed as an amendment for the remediation of saline-sodic soil. A pot experiment including three dosages of DS alone (1%, 5%, 10% w/w) and their combination with fulvic acid (FA, 1%, w/w) was conducted to evaluate the potentials of DS as an amendment and to explore remediation mechanism of DS combined with FA on saline-sodic soil. The soil salinity, nutrition, pore structure, water retention, consistency, and desiccation cracking of DS and FA-amended soils were determined. Application of DS resulted in a significant reduction of pH, sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), and exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) of saline-sodic soil. The DS amendment significantly increased the 6–15 μm pore volume of soil. The combination application of DS and FA showed better effect than the DS alone. The DS amendments at 5% and 10% significantly increased the field water capacity, permanent wilting point, and available water content of the soil, whereas significantly decreased the plastic limit, liquid limit, and plastic index. The DS alone and combined with FA could effectively control the development of desiccation cracking, reduced significantly the crack area density and average width of cracks of the soil. Consequently, the improvement of alkalinity and soil physical properties by DS amendment significantly increased the yield of alfalfa grown on saline-sodic soil. The remarkable improvement of physical properties of saline-sodic soil contributed to the decrease of SAR and ESP by the Ca2+ in DS replacing the Na + at soil colloid sites. Our results suggested that DS amendments alone or combined with fulvic acid have great potential as saline-alkali soil amendment.

Probabilistic machine learning for predicting desiccation cracks in clayey soils

Probabilistic machine learning for predicting desiccation cracks in clayey soils

Review of Methods to Solve Desiccation Cracks in Clayey Soils

This paper reviews numerical methods used to simulate desiccation cracks in clayey soils. It examines five numerical approaches: Finite Element (FEM), Lattice Boltzmann (LBM), Discrete Element (DEM), Cellular Automaton (CAM), and Phase Field (PFM) Methods. The paper presents a simplified description of the methods, including their basic numerical formulations. Several factors such as the multiphase nature of soils, heterogeneity, nonlinearities, coupling, scales of analysis, and computational aspects are discussed. The review highlights the characteristics, strengths, and limitations of each method. FEM shows a good capacity to deal with the thermo-hydromechanical behavior of clays when drying that complement well with the ability of DEM to deal with particle interactions as well as LBM, PFM, and CAM to deal with complex crack patterns. The article concludes by reviewing the integration of multiple numerical methods to enhance the simulation of desiccation cracks in clayey soils and proposing what is the best option to continue improving the study of this problem.