中文摘要：

Extended horizontal cracks have been observed experimentally in avertical column of saturated sand when a flow of water is forced to percolate upwardthrough it. This paper provides a theory for this phenomenon. It will be shownthat the presence of inhomogeneity in permeability along the length of the column isesseutial for such cracks to develop. It will also be shown that small initial inhomo-geneity may be magnified through the transport of the finer component of the sandby percolation. Under certain conditions liquefaction takes place at a section of thesand colunm causing a crack to initiate and grow there. This theory is found to bein good qualitative agreement with the experimental findings.

英文摘要：

Extended horizontal cracks have! been observed experimentally in a vertical column of saturated sand when a flow of water is forced to percolate upward through it. This paper provides a theory for this phenomenon. It will be shown that the presence of inhomogeneity in permeability along the length of the column is essential for such cracks to develop. It will also be shown that small initial inhomogeneity may be magnified through the transport of the finer component of the sand by percolation. Under certain conditions liquefaction takes place at a section of the sand column causing a crack to initiate and grow there. This theory is found to be in good qualitative agreement with the experimental findings.