Assessing crack initiation and propagation in flax fiber reinforced clay subjected to desiccation

Nowadays, raw earth construction is an area of growing interest, both for its eco-friendly characteristics and very interesting thermo-hygroscopic properties. Nevertheless, this type exhibits a weakness related to cracking due the shrinkage strains caused by desiccation. In context, paper presents experimental study restrained drying-shrinkage, carried out on fine clayey soil. Several amounts soil reinforcement with orderly layout patterns using vegetal flax fibers have been investigated in order enhance The new feature work analyzing crack initiation propagation coupling Digital Image Correlation (DIC) method Clay-Ring-Test (CRT) technique, innovative device called DIC-CRT. Suction measurements clay samples are performed during desiccation tensiometers. A good agreement noticed between suction strain evolution until revealing direct influence shrinkage. Through two techniques, DIC CRT, relevant parameter quantify intensity materials proposed. significant decrease ratio, factor about 8, highlights impact level opening. Likewise, decrease, 20, observed analysis CRT slopes, highlighting kinetic