Mud cracks are common in nature,but the genetic mechanism is not clear.The influence factors of mud cracks were summarized,and their significance was concluded,and the problems in the research of mud cracks were discussed.The results show that the internal influence factors of mud cracks include the composition and thickness of muddy sediments,and the contact relationship between the upper and lower layers;the change of thickness and composition leads to different fracture degrees;the smaller friction between the upper and lower sediments is,the more polygons of mud cracks are,and the easier warping-up of the edge is;the external influence factors of mud cracks include temperature,alternation of dry and wet environments,water and salinity and biological perturbation;the range of single mud crack is larger in high temperature;the crossing angle of mud crack tends to 120° under the condition of continuous alternation of dry and wet environments;the moisture influences the size of polygon of mud crack;the salinity influences the morphology of the edge of mud crack;the morphology of mud crack can be transformed by animals and plants;the thickness is an important factor for preserving mud cracks as well as the rapid cover of later sediments.The study on genetic mechanism of mud cracks contributes to solve the engineering problems caused by mud cracks.The appearance of mud cracks indicates that the sediments have been exposed on the surface,and the mud cracks preserved can be indicative for the ancient shoreline,the regional uplift of strata,the climate changes of cold-warm and dry-wet,and so on.%泥裂较为常见,但是成因机理还不完全清楚.通过总结近年来泥裂的相关研究进展,对泥裂的影响因素进行了归纳,总结了泥裂的研究意义,并讨论了泥裂研究存在的问题.结果表明:泥裂的内部影响因素在于泥质沉积物成分和厚度以及上、下接触关系,其中厚度和成分的变化导致破碎程度不同,上、下沉积物之间的摩擦力越小,形成的泥裂多边形越多,边缘越容易发生上翘;泥裂的外部影响因素包括温度、干湿环境交替、水分及含盐度、生物改造,其中高温度下形成的单个泥裂范围大,干湿环境的不断交替使泥裂交角趋于120°,水含量影响泥裂多边形的大小,含盐度影响泥裂的边缘形态,动植物活动对泥裂的形态具有改造作用;厚度是泥裂得以保存下来的重要因素,同时后期沉积物的快速覆盖也非常重要;从工程角度而言,探究泥裂的成因机理有助于解决泥裂引起的工程问题;从地质角度而言,泥裂的出现表明沉积物曾出露于地表水面之上,地质时期保存下来的泥裂构造可以指示古海岸线、区域性地层上升及气候冷暖干湿变化等.
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