Modeling the formation and propagation of desiccation cracks in soils

In these mines, pipelines conduct the waste (as slurry) and deposit it in extensive tailings. Once the waste is exposed to the atmosphere, intensive desiccation cracks develop (RodríguezPacheco 2002). Desiccation cracks strongly affect the behavior and performance of these tailing. This aspect motivated the study of the desiccation crack phenomenon in more detail.