The mechanics of cracking of drying clay

Towner, G. D.

doi:10.1016/0021-8634(87)90118-1

Cited by 64 publications

(36 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…As soon as the second crack appears, the opening rate of the first crack falls by half. The mechanism of clay cracking has been well documented by other authors (Towner et al 1987;Moore 1984;Chertkov and Ravina 1998;Augier et al 2002) but the identification of the subsurface cracking network is still under-estimated especially for embankments.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Clay fine fissuring monitoring using miniature geo-electrical resistivity arrays

Sentenac

Zieliński

2009

Environ Earth Sci

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This article describes a miniaturised electrical imaging (resistivity tomography) technique to map the cracking pattern of a clay model. The clay used was taken from a scaled flood embankment built to study the fine fissuring due to desiccation and breaching process in flooding conditions. The potential of using a miniature array of electrodes to follow the evolution of the vertical cracks and number them during the drying process was explored. The imaging technique generated two-dimensional contoured plots of the resistivity distribution within the model before and at different stages of the desiccation process. The change in resistivity associated with the widening of the cracks were monitored as a function of time. Experiments were also carried out using a selected conductive gel to slow down the transport process into the cracks to improve the scanning capabilities of the equipment. The main vertical clay fissuring network was obtained after inversion of the experimental resistivity measurements and validated by direct observations

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Clay fine fissuring monitoring using miniature geo-electrical resistivity arrays

Sentenac

Zieliński

2009

Environ Earth Sci

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“…6b), it also suggests that the bulk modulus of the different soil specimens at equivalent gravimetric moisture contents may not be strictly the same. As such, a two-part effect related to: (1) a reduction in the shrinkage inducing stresses (due to water activity effects) and (2) an increase in the stiffness of the soil with increasing solution salinity (and decreasing moisture content) (Towner, 1987) may both act to induce a reduction in stress-andstrain development at equivalent moisture levels (refer to Figs. 6b/7b) in saline soil systems.…”

Section: Drying Stress and Strain: Experimental Observations And Corrmentioning

confidence: 98%

Assessing the role of the pore solution concentration on horizontal deformations in an unsaturated soil specimen during drying

et al. 2012

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“…For a lower flow, the ratio between initial moisture content and moisture content at crack initiation is invariant, as was already observed in clays. [8] A number of observations can be made from the pictures taken during drying (Fig. 3).…”

Section: Crack Observationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Crack Appearance during Drying of an Alumina Gel: Thermo-Hydro-Mechanical Properties

et al. 2007

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Most heterogeneous catalyst supports used in refineries are composed of porous alumina ceramics. Drying has been identified as a critical process for final product mechanical strength. In the literature, numerous papers deal with drying-induced stresses, which can lead to crack initiation. However, there are few papers devoted to experimental study of drying conditions that promote cracking. The objective of this work is to enhance knowledge of cracking behavior, specifically by studying alumina gel drying. First, the relation between drying conditions and first crack initiation is studied experimentally. Then a complete thermo-hydro-mechanical characterization of the alumina gel is made, including moisture content as a parameter.

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The mechanics of cracking of drying clay

Cited by 64 publications

References 7 publications

Clay fine fissuring monitoring using miniature geo-electrical resistivity arrays

Clay fine fissuring monitoring using miniature geo-electrical resistivity arrays

Assessing the role of the pore solution concentration on horizontal deformations in an unsaturated soil specimen during drying

Crack Appearance during Drying of an Alumina Gel: Thermo-Hydro-Mechanical Properties

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