Crack width, cross-section area, and volume in swelling clay soils
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Faculty of Agricultural Engineering, Technion, Haifa 32000, Israel
Acceptance date: 1998-03-02
Int. Agrophys. 1999, 13(2): 157-166
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ABSTRACT
A model is presented for prediction of crack network geometry in clay soils. The starting point is the similarity between a crack network in rocks and that in soils, and, hence, principles of multiple crack formation in rocks can be used. The model estimates the mean crack width, crack cross-section area, and crack volume. Special verification of the model was done with published data on these characteristics in the micro-shrinkage depth range. Agreement between the data and the model predictions for these depths is satisfactory.