Influencing factors of geometrical structure of surface shrinkage cracks in clayey soils

Tang, Chao‐Sheng; Shi, Bin; Lei, Chun; Zhao, Lizheng; Wang, Baojun

doi:10.1016/j.enggeo.2008.05.005

Cited by 361 publications

(162 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…The presence of water in the perched aquifer induces the soil volume to increase, closing the cracks (b). The same phenomenon was observed also by Van Breemen and Buurman (1998) and Tang et al (2008) in other geographical environments. Contemporaneously, water involved in leakage exerts erosional actions along the fractures, opposing to the complete closing.…”

Section: St Development Mechanism -Sinkholes-like Features Associatesupporting

confidence: 88%

Small sinkhole-like features in alluvial plains: the example of Paganico (Lucca Plain, Italy)

Dell'Aringa

Giannecchini

Puccinelli

2014

Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci.

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Abstract. Paganico is a little village located in the southeastern portion of the Lucca Plain (northwestern Tuscany, Italy). Since the seventies, a few square kilometers' area around Paganico has been involved in the opening of small cavities (sinkhole-like) on the land surface. At the beginning they were very small and sporadic. Later on the phenomena were characterized by a significant extension, increasing in frequency and size (up to 2 m in diameter and depth), causing inconvenience to local people, agricultural operations and occasionally a little damage (cracks to buildings, fencing walls and outside floorings).The cavities prevalently occur at the end of the dry season, during or immediately after the first intense rainy events, that is, between the end of summer and early autumn. Even so, the predisposition and triggering causes at present are not completely clarified. Therefore this study is aimed at individuating the triggering and evolution mechanism of the Paganico sinkhole-like features, particularly referring to the stratigraphic, hydrogeological and geotechnical features of the involved materials.Another important issue made clear with this research is represented by the overexploitation of the local aquifer, characterized by particular hydro-structural conditions. In fact, the Paganico underground shows three horizons with different lithologic, hydrogeological and geotechnical properties: a superficial silty-sandy horizon (2-3 m thick), which is particularly involved in collapses; an intermediate siltyclayey horizon (2-4 m thick); and a lower and thick gravelpebbly horizon, characterized by important water resources and heavy pumping. Since the seventies, such water pumping rose considerably due to the local demographic (well field), industrial (paper manufacture) and agricultural development.From a hydrogeological point of view, this area is consequently characterized by two water tables: a temporary one, housed in the superficial silty-sandy horizon (perched aquifer), and a second one, confined, associated with the lower gravel-pebbly horizon (aquifer). The perched aquifer and confined aquifer are separated by an impermeable siltyclayey horizon. According to the observations resulting from this study, the latter probably tends to fracture by desiccation during the dry season, originating water exchange between the two water tables during the first important autumnal rainfall, depending on the pumping conditions, which lower the piezometric surface of the confined aquifer. Cracking would also characterize the superficial horizon. Thus, the water exchange would produce erosional phenomena in the superficial material, with removal of the fine fraction and collapse. This process could be at the origin of the cavities opening.

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Section: St Development Mechanism -Sinkholes-like Features Associatesupporting

confidence: 88%

Small sinkhole-like features in alluvial plains: the example of Paganico (Lucca Plain, Italy)

Dell'Aringa

Giannecchini

Puccinelli

2014

Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci.

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“…These outcomes have been later corroborated by other researchers, such as Kodikara et al (2000) who analyzed the data of Corte and Higashi (1960) and Lau (1987), Nahlawi and Kodikara (2006), Lakshmikantha et al (2006) and Costa et al (2013). Tang et al (2008), Tang et al (2010a) and Costa et al (2013) were able to show that there was an influence of the desiccation rate in the amount of cracks produced. Rodríguez et al (2007) observed that the effects of soil thickness on the cracking water content were not noticeable for very thin soil layers.…”

Section: Accepted M Manuscriptsupporting

confidence: 58%

Observations on the desiccation and cracking of clay layers

Tollenaar

Paassen

Jommi

2017

Engineering Geology

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Waterways and lakes in low-lying delta areas require regular dredging for maintenance. Often these sediments are placed on land, where they are allowed to ripen through a combination of drainage, consolidation and evaporation. When cracks develop during desiccation, the physical response of the soil is affected by changes in the overall strength, stiffness and permeability of the material. To better identify how cracks form and propagate, a series of tests was carried out in a controlled laboratory environment on samples of drying clay slurries under different initial and boundary conditions. The outcomes of this study indicate that the results from laboratory small scale models must be carefully analyzed, as they depend on the area and the thickness of the sample. However, common features from the different tests can be identified, which are mostly related to the intrinsic behavior of the material. For instance, the water content at which cracks initiate depends mostly on the drying rate and not only on the initial water content.

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“…The cracks in SSL and LPL also show different directional patterns. This type of desiccation-induced crack patterns may be largely attributed to the clay content of these two soil layers as reported by Yesiller et al (2000), Tay et al, 2001, Boivin et al (2004 and Tang et al (2008). Shrinkage-induced cracking also increases with increased fines content (Yesiller et al, 2000;Tay et al, 2001).…”

Section: Visual (Field) Observations Of Impacts Of Simulated Seasonalsupporting

confidence: 55%

Landfill cap models under simulated climate change precipitation: impacts of cracks and root growth

Sinnathamby¹,

Phillips

Sivakumar

et al. 2014

Géotechnique

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Desiccation crack formation is a key process that needs to be understood in assessment of landfill cap performance under anticipated future climate change scenarios. The objectives of this study were to examine: (a) desiccation cracks and impacts that roots may have on their formation and resealing, and (b) their impacts on hydraulic conductivity under anticipated climate change precipitation scenarios.Visual observations, image analysis of thin sections and hydraulic conductivity tests were carried out on cores collected from two large-scale laboratory trial landfill cap models (,80 3 80 3 90 cm) during a year of four simulated seasonal precipitation events. Extensive root growth in the topsoil increased percolation of water into the subsurface, and after droughts, roots grew deep into lowpermeability layers through major cracks which impeded their resealing. At the end of 1 year, larger cracks had lost resealing ability and one single, large, vertical crack made the climate change precipitation model cap inefficient. Even though the normal precipitation model had developed desiccation cracks, its integrity was preserved better than the climate change precipitation model.

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Influencing factors of geometrical structure of surface shrinkage cracks in clayey soils

Cited by 361 publications

References 26 publications

Small sinkhole-like features in alluvial plains: the example of Paganico (Lucca Plain, Italy)

Small sinkhole-like features in alluvial plains: the example of Paganico (Lucca Plain, Italy)

Observations on the desiccation and cracking of clay layers

Landfill cap models under simulated climate change precipitation: impacts of cracks and root growth

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