A Review of Cracking Behavior and Mechanism in Clayey Soils Related to Desiccation

Cracks in clayey soils are common during desiccation. The presence of cracks significantly alters the mechanical and hydraulic properties of soils. The objective of this article is to summarize the works on cracking behavior and mechanism in clayey soils related to desiccation. Historical field investigations, laboratory experimentations, identified mechanisms, and numerical approaches for modeling the process of cracking during desiccation are discussed. The experimental approaches for interpreting the mechanisms of cracking are systematically summarized and comprehensively reviewed based on the in situ observations and laboratory experimentations from the literature. The soil mechanics-based approaches resumed in this article according to the fracture mechanics theory and numerical results highlight the cracking development mechanism. Concerning the plasticity characteristics of clayey soils, researches on soil fracture mechanics should be paid more attention. More in situ experimentations and numerical researches are suggested for future researches to better understand the cracking behavior and mechanism in clayey soils related to desiccation.