A comparison of shrinkage cracking between clay minerals by crack parameters using image analysis

Abstract

Experiments have been conducted in laboratory to present a comparison of shrinkage cracking based on an observation and a quantitative determination of crack parameters. Photographs of surface cracks for three different types of clay mineral belonging to different groups – Bentonite, Kaolinite and Illite – are processed using image analysis. Each of soil types is tested with four sample thicknesses ranging from 5 to 20 mm at an interval of 5 mm. The measurements of crack parameters for clay mineral soils show that area and width of cracks in case of Bentonite are much larger than those while length of cracks appears to be slightly less than that in other cases. Number of cracks in case of Bentonite are smaller than those in cases of Kaolinite and Illite. Additionally, compared with Illite, area, length and width of cracks in case of Kaolinite are slightly larger while the other crack parameters seem to be same.