DRYING CRACKS NETWORK IN SOILS: REMEDIAL SOLUTIONS AND 3-D ERT MONITORING

Abstract

Desiccation cracking in soils is a natural phenomenon associated with soil shrinkage during water evaporation under field conditions triggered by the soil-atmosphere interactions. Desiccation crack can cause many problems on the stability of geotechnical structures, such as foundations, embankment, and landfill. It can increase seepage and lead to failures in earth structures. The developing of drying cracks in soil is a quite complex phenomenon that possess several challenges. Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) technique was adopted in this research to monitor the desiccation crack propagation with drying-wetting cycle. Two kinds of array method were compared and validated using clay-Styrofoam block structures within soil container. The three-dimensional visualization of the crack network was done by using VOXLER 3D program to enhance the interpretation of Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) data. Mechanical and geophysical properties of the clay mixtures were evaluated to select the optimal composition of the filling materials to be used as remedial solutions for cracking area. The mixtures were made up from several components included to enhance the strength and workability of the injection material. The successful implementation of the injection material was verified by means of indirect (non-destructive) and direct methods including assessment of the mixing penetration by the direct observation during the sample dismantling.