Simulation of Saturated and Unsaturated Flow Processes in a Large Scale Karst System with AN Integrated Catchment Model (mike She)

Saline conditions induce not only chemical but physical changes in swelling clays, and have a significant influence on the crack dynamics in desiccating clays. In this study, we used X-ray computerized tomography (CT) to experimentally investigate the effects of sodium chloride on the morphology and dynamics of desiccation cracks in three-dimensional mixtures of sand-bentonite slurry under varying rheological conditions. Rectangular glass containers (40.5x40.5x56 mm^3) were packed with sand-bentonite slurries of different salt concentrations, with the top boundary exposed to air for evaporation. The growth and propagation of the cracking network that subsequently formed was visualized in 3D at multiple intervals. 3D characterization of cracking dynamics shows a high extent of localized superficial crack networks at low salinity, with a transition to less extensive but deeper, more centralized crack networks with increased salinity. The observed behavior was described in the context of rheological and colloidal properties of the clay, which suggest the transition from a voluminous and poorly-sorted stacked clay structure to a more compact and highly cohesive entangled clay structure as salt concentration increases in the evaporating samples. This is further corroborated by vertical profiles of sample water distribution, which shows localized uniform drying at the higher salt concentrations. Our results provide new insights regarding the formation, patterns, dynamics and characteristics of desiccation cracks formed during evaporation from 3D saline clay structures, which will be useful in various hydrological applications including water management, land surface evaporation, and subsurface contaminant transport.