Desiccation-induced cracking and its effect on the hydraulic conductivity of clayey soils from Iran

Clay materials have many environmental applications, especially in situations where a hydraulic barrier is desired. However, as the plasticity of clay increases, cracks tend to develop during cycles of long dry spells. This is particularly a concern in the construction of covers or installation of landfill liners prior to waste filling. In the present study, specimens prepared from three natural clayey soils from Iran used for clay barrier construction, and one artificial clayey soil, were subjected to cycles of wetting and drying. Surface cracks of different dimensions formed as a result of drying. Specimens with the largest volumetric shrinkage strains typically contained the highest number of cracks. Specimens that developed cracks were subjected to hydraulic conductivity testing. The results showed that the dimension of cracks increased with increasing plasticity index and clay content and, so, the initial hydraulic conductivity increased with increasing plasticity index and cycles of drying and wetting. Cracking increased the hydraulic conductivity by 12-34 times, depending on the plasticity of the soil. After a long saturation time, the hydraulic conductivity of the soils decreased with an increase in saturation time, which could be associated with a self-healing process that affects the soils by different degrees.Key words: desiccation, cracking, plasticity, hydraulic conductivity, clay barriers, self-healing, volumetric shrinkage.