Main Influence Factors on Structural Property Changes of Unsaturated Loess

Loess is a typically structured soil. The study on loess soil structure is an important aspect of soil structure research, contributing to the broader understanding of soil structural properties. This paper draws on primary data collected from confined compression tests of unsaturated loess, including intact loess and anthropogenic modified loess, and discusses the key influences on changes in the structural properties of unsaturated loess. Research results indicate that increasing vertical pressure, increasing water content and increasing soil density promote gradual structural weakening of unsaturated loess; and the structural integrity of the loess is reinforced in some instances by the increasing of cementing agents. Other important findings are that the key influences on loess structure are not uniform across loess regions, and that achievement of higher loess structural integrity is difficult under very high and very low clay content.