This paper presents a desiccation crack monitoring campaign conducted on a full-scale, vegetated infrastructure embankment subjected to one-year of seasonally variable weather. The field survey involved direct measurement of naturally developed, annually reoccurring cracks in a heavily instrumented, clay fill embankment (BIONICS, Newcastle University). Transient crack morphology was captured in terms of opening width, length and depth, in addition to meteorological and near-surface soil hydrological conditions. In order to assess any correlation between crack development and weather-driven changes in near surface soil conditions, the volume of cracks was estimated using an empirically derived equation. This research study identified crack behaviour in four stages: initiation, expansion, contraction and closure. These stages and the distribution of cracks on the slope are closely related to prevailing atmospheric conditions, namely wind direction, relative humidity, precipitation and potential evapotranspiration. These ultimately govern the soil hydrological conditions in the near surface, as manifested in the presented matric potential and volumetric water content data. Linearly descrete cracks are shown to form under such conditions in contrary to the polygonal patterns typically reported under laboratory conditions. Crack length growth terminates prior to full volumetric maturation with crack depth dominating the dynamic response regardless of overall crack size.

中文翻译：

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植被基础设施路基上的田间规模的干燥裂缝

本文介绍了在受到一年四季气候变化影响的大型植被基础路堤上进行的干燥裂缝监测活动。实地调查涉及直接测量在仪器高度密集的粘土填充路堤（纽卡斯尔大学，BIONICS）中自然发生的每年重复发生的裂缝。除气象和近地表土壤水文状况外，还根据开口宽度，长度和深度捕获了瞬态裂纹形态。为了评估裂缝的发展与近地表土壤条件下由天气驱动的变化之间的任何相关性，使用经验推导的方程式估算了裂缝的数量。这项研究确定了裂纹行为的四个阶段：引发，膨胀，收缩和闭合。这些阶段和斜坡上的裂缝分布与主要的大气条件（即风向，相对湿度，降水和潜在的蒸散量）密切相关。这些最终决定了近地表的土壤水文状况，如表中所示的基质势和体积含水量数据所示。与在实验室条件下通常报道的多边形图案相反，在这种条件下显示出线性离散裂纹的形成。裂纹长度的增长在全部体积成熟之前终止，而裂纹深度决定了动态响应，而不管整体裂纹的大小如何。这些最终决定了近地表的土壤水文状况，如表中所示的基质势和体积含水量数据所示。与在实验室条件下通常报道的多边形图案相反，在这种条件下显示出线性离散裂纹的形成。裂纹长度的增长在全部体积成熟之前终止，而裂纹深度决定了动态响应，而不管整体裂纹的大小如何。这些最终决定了近地表的土壤水文状况，如表中所示的基质势和体积含水量数据所示。与在实验室条件下通常报道的多边形图案相反，在这种条件下显示出线性离散裂纹的形成。裂纹长度的增长在全部体积成熟之前终止，而裂纹深度决定了动态响应，而不管整体裂纹的大小如何。