Advanced Techniques for Capturing Cracks in Clayey Soils: A Comprehensive Review

Desiccation cracking in clay soils severely impacts the geotechnical engineering and environmental control by altering the soil strength, water infiltration, and structural stability. The application of traditional evaluation methods, such as observation and grid mapping, is commonly used to evaluate the fissures resulting from desiccation, tensile stress, and environmental factors. These techniques are inaccurate and not scalable. New advances in crack detection, including X-ray Computed Tomography (X-Ray CT), Ground-Penetrating Radar (GPR), Digital Image Correlation (DIC), and Machine Learning (ML), have enabled the performance of high-resolution, Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) of the surface and subsurface cracks. New techniques enhance the uses in slope stability assessment, soil liner integrity inspection, and water management. However, their potential shortcomings, such as expensive implementation and enormous computational needs, limit their extensive application. Emerging technologies, including the real-time inspection by Acoustic Emission (AE) techniques and neural networks, offer much potential. This study emphasizes the need for accessible tools to advance soil crack analysis and support sustainable geotechnical practices.