The Shrinkage Geometry Factor of a Soil Layer
2005
Chertkov, V. Y.
The shrinkage geometry factor connects the changes of subsidence and the total crack volume at the shrinkage of a soil layer matrix. An available approach for estimating the factor does not account for the crack volume in samples, the stretching of a shrinking soil layer, and a possible change of the factor with water content. A recent new approach for estimation of the factor enables one to account for the factor's dependence on water content and the impact of cracks in a sample. The present work also accounts for the stretching of a shrinking soil layer. Corrected value of the factor is described in terms of the shrinkage curves of: a layer including unconnected solid cubes from the available approach, a stretched layer with cracks, a sample with cracks, and the soil matrix without cracks. This correction leads to changes in the soil subsidence and total crack volume compared with those obtained from the available approach. Two known physical conditions are used: the specific soil matrix volume without cracks is the same for the sample and the layer; and, the matrix deformations of an unlimited shrinking soil layer are longitudinal those of a thin quasi-elastic plate. Two available experimental examples are considered. The former relates to clay paste samples. The latter relates to an aggregated clay soil in situ and in samples. The geometry factor from the available approach, and that obtained after correction, differ significantly. The corrected factor also shows the appreciable change with water content.
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