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| Engineering Physics Property of Loess and its Causes in Western Loess Plateau |
| YUE Ying-li1,2 |
1. College of Physics and Information Technology, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China;
2. State Key Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an 710075, China |
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Abstract On the basis of measuration on loess microstructure, collapsing coefficient and cohesion in eleven sections in eastern Gansu province and porosity of loess strata in Xi'an, the vertical change law of porosity, collapsibility, shearing strength and particle size as well as the forming causes were studied. Result shows that the loessial layers which have high porosity, strong collapsibility and weak shearing strength underwent the weak weathering and soil-formation processes; the layers which have low porosity, weak collapsibility and strong shearing strength are the red paleosols or the loessial layers weathered strongly. The engineering physics property of loess strata changes fluctuantly in the vertical direction. The primary cause is the alternation of cold-arid climate and warm-moist climate in Quaternary period and the induced change of soil-formation processes. The loessial collapsibility came into being in the weak soil-forming processes of the arid and semiarid area, and it is the characteristic of several kinds of grey and yellow soils in steppe area. In different areas, there is difference in the distributing depth of loessial collapsibility. The depth of loess collapsibility the arid area is greater than that in moist area. In arid area, the depth of strong collapsibility can reach 12 m, that of middle collapsibility can reach 17 m and that of weak collapsibility can be more than 20 m.
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Received: 06 August 2003
Published: 20 December 2004
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2004, Vol. 24 
