No abstract

The need to study the shrink-swell and crack properties of vertic soils has long been recognized given their dynamics in time and space, which modifies the physical properties that impact water and air movement in the soil, flow of water into the subsoil and ground water, and generally alter the hydrology of vertic soils. Measurement of crack properties has been made by numerous researchers with the purpose to understand and quantify the spatial and temporal dynamics of shrinking and swelling and the associated formation of cracks. These crack properties, which are important in modifying hydrology of soils are: width, length, depth and orientation of soil’s cracks. To better understand the hydrology of vertic soils and incorporate crack properties into hydrologic simulation models, several techniques have been developed to measure crack properties. However, little attention is given to evaluate both the advantages and the limitations associated with these techniques. Thus, the purpose of this review is to highlight challenges and limitations that have been used or might be used to measure cracking in vertic soils

No abstract

Crack orientations are an important soil physical property that affects water flow, particularly in vertic soils. However, the spatial and temporal variability of crack orientations across different land uses and gilgai features is not welldocumented and addressed in hydrology models. Thus; there is a need to quantify crack orientations for different land uses and to incorporate their spatial and temporal dynamics into hydrological models. Our objectives were to document the spatial variability of cracks orientations across two land uses and to demonstrate the potential importance of crack orientation related to the hydrology of Vertisols. The exploratory field measurements of the spatial distribution of crack orientations across two Vertisol catenae of two land uses and gilgai features are presented. The field survey showed the complexity of crack geometry in a field, the potential impact of crack orientation on Vertisol hydrology and the challenges associated with measurement of crack orientations.