Evolution of cracks in the shear bands of granite residual soil

The evolution of shear bands and cracks plays an important role in landslides. However, there is no systematic method for classification of the cracks, which can be used to analyze the evolution of cracks in shear bands. In this study, X-ray computed tomography (CT) is used to observe the behavior of granite residual soil during a triaxial shear process. Based on the digital volume correlation (DVC) method, a crack classification method is established according to the connectivity characteristics of cracks before and after loading. Cracks are then divided into six classes: obsolete, brand-new, isolated, split, combined, and compound. With evolution of the shear bands, a large number of brand-new cracks accelerate the damages of materials at the mesoscale, resulting in a sharp decrease in strength. The volume of brand-new cracks increases rapidly with increasing axial strain, and their volume is greater than 50% when the strain reaches 12%, while the volume of compound cracks decreases from 54% to 21%. As cracks are the weakest areas in a material, brand-new cracks accelerate the development of shear bands. Finally, the coupling effect of shear bands and cracks destroys the soil strength. •Quantitative analysis of the evolution of cracks in the shear bands of the soil.•Cracks could be classified into annihilated, neonatal, isolate, split, combined and compound cracks.•Neonatal cracks have the highest significant relationship with the shear bands.•Neonatal cracks will expedite the development of the shear bands.