Clay Soil: It Shrinks And Swells Stock Image

During dry weather clay particles shrink and pull more tightly to each other. This shrinking is what leads to the cracks in the ground. Think of clay as a big sponge. Fill the sponge full of water and it puffs up; dry out the sponge and it shrinks. The technical term is called shrink-swell capacity. Clay soil has a high shrink-swell capacity. As the particles shrink they separate and cause cracks, from whisper thin to an inch or more. The more cracks and wider the cracks, the greater the shrink-swell capacity of the soil, which translates to a higher clay content.