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Experimental investigation of the collapsibility of loess subjected to water invasion

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Abstract

Loess is widely distributed in China and it is commonly considered as the problematic soil due to its collapsibility subjected to the water invasion. The microstructure plays an important role in the mechanical properties of the loess soil. In this note, the microstructures of intact loess samples and the inundated loess sample were investigated by using both mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) and nuclear magnetic resonance cryoporometry (NMRC). It is observed from the results of both MIP and NMRC tests that the intact loess has a multi-model pore size distribution function while the inundated loess has a unimodal pore size distribution function. As the coefficient of collapsibility (δs) is a key parameter commonly used for the evaluation of the engineering properties of the loess, the δs of the specimens tested under different conditions was measured. Subsequently, a new multi-variable linear model was proposed for the estimation of δs from the index properties based on the results of factor analyses. The estimated results of δs from the proposed model show good agreements with the measured data.

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Funding

The authors would like to acknowledge the financial support they received from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 52378329).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Concrete and Prestressed Concrete Structures of Ministry of Education, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China

    Xueliang Zhao, Yixuan Cui, Ruize Zhang, Gang Tian & Qian Zhai

  2. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering and Digital Sciences, Nazarbayev University, Kabanbay Batyr Ave., 53, Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, 010000

    Alfrendo Satyanaga

Authors
  1. Xueliang Zhao
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  2. Yixuan Cui
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  3. Ruize Zhang
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  4. Gang Tian
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  5. Alfrendo Satyanaga
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  6. Qian Zhai
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Correspondence to Qian Zhai.

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Zhao, X., Cui, Y., Zhang, R. et al. Experimental investigation of the collapsibility of loess subjected to water invasion. Bull Eng Geol Environ 83, 33 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-023-03532-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-023-03532-6

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