Investigation of desiccation cracking using automated digital photography

Abstract

Desiccation cracking can be heavily detrimental on the performance of clay soils in various engineering applications. Typical engineering applications include compacted clay barriers in waste containment, dam cores, canal liners and road pavements. The evolution of desiccation cracks has not been clearly understood and explained. A series of laboratory tests were conducted using Merri-Creek clay and potato starch. The evolution of cracks was captured by automated digital photography and presented in a time-lapse video format similar to the phenomenon of a blooming flower. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first time such a video has been produced. Both simultaneous and sequential types of cracking are investigated. The relationship between desiccation rate, average cell area, thickness of the specimen and etc are examined and discussed