The late-stage developmental and evolutionary characteristics of surface desiccation cracking in sacrifice area of the Sanxingdui site

To explore the development process of desiccation cracking in clay soil, this manuscript takes the desiccation cracking deterioration on the surface of the archaeological site in Sanxingdui Sacrifice Pits as the research object. The long-term, in-situ monitoring of desiccation cracking development is conducted alongside concurrent environmental data collection. Data analysis focuses on studying the evolutionary characteristics of desiccation cracking in the late stage of deterioration development, exploring the correlation between desiccation cracking development and the environment, and investigating the feasibility of the grouting method based on temporal characteristics of desiccation cracking. The results indicate that the development of desiccation cracking encompasses both morphological evolution and dimensional changes. Specifically, some primary main fissures demonstrate continuous expansion slowly, while a minority of secondary fissures intermittently extend or emerge. Overall, the width and depth of primary mani fissures gradually increase and stabilize over time. Larger fissures exhibit more obvious size increments during development. The moisture content of the soil is the predominant environmental factor influencing desiccation cracking. Changes in this controlling factor result in different stages of fissures development at varying depths within the soil, leading to intersecting fissures that form fracture blocks, and under the stress adjustments, smaller fissures are suppressed from developing, resulting in spatial and temporal heterogeneity in fissures size change. Practical experience has demonstrated the feasibility of relieving desiccation cracking deterioration through the grouting method at stable periods of desiccation cracking development.