Introduction: Climate Change and Soil Behavior

Question 1

How does climate change impact soil mechanics?

Answer 1

• Increased rainfall leads to soil saturation, causing landslides and erosion.
• Droughts lead to soil shrinkage, reducing stability.
• Groundwater fluctuations cause differential settlement.

Question 2

What happened in the Wilnis (2003) dike failure?

Answer 2

A dry period caused clayey peat to shrink, reducing cohesion and leading to dike failure.