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Factors affecting the soil–water retention curve of Chinese loess

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Abstract

Loess is unsaturated soil that occurs in various locations on the surface of the Earth, and it is most widespread in the Chinese Loess Plateau where it has caused many geotechnical problems and geohazards. To better understand the properties of unsaturated loess, it is helpful to examine its soil–water retention curve (SWRC). In this study, a volumetric pressure plate extractor was used to examine undisturbed, artificial, and remolded loess specimens to investigate the effects of the sampling site, structure disturbance, grain size, and salt solution on their SWRCs. To better analyze the changes in the SWRCs of the loess samples, we also determined their index properties, mineral compositions, specific surface areas (SSAs), cation exchange capacities (CECs), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results showed that the factors that affected their SWRCs mainly were attributable to changes in the microstructure that resulted from differences in their physical natures, physical states, and salt solutions. Also, there has a close link between the macroscopic soil–water retention curves and the microscopic structure characteristics of the loess samples.

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Acknowledgments

Yao Jiang acknowledges support from the CAS Pioneer Hundred Talents Program.

Funding

This study was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (No. 2018YFC1504702), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 41977212 and 41927806), and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (No. lzujbky-2020-kb46).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. MOE Key Laboratory of Mechanics on Disaster and Environment in Western China, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, Gansu, China

    Fanyu Zhang & Chongxi Zhao

  2. College of Civil Engineering and Mechanics, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, Gansu, China

    Fanyu Zhang & Chongxi Zhao

  3. Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China

    Sérgio D. N. Lourenço

  4. Civil Engineering Department, Sichuan College of Architectural Technology, Deyang, 618000, Sichuan, China

    Simeng Dong

  5. Key Laboratory of Mountain Hazards and Surface Process, Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China

    Yao Jiang

  6. CAS Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, 100101, China

    Yao Jiang

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  1. Fanyu Zhang
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  3. Sérgio D. N. Lourenço
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Correspondence to Fanyu Zhang.

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Zhang, F., Zhao, C., Lourenço, S.D.N. et al. Factors affecting the soil–water retention curve of Chinese loess. Bull Eng Geol Environ 80, 717–729 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-020-01959-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-020-01959-9

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