Abstract
The traditional methods for enhancing the bearing capacity of loess foundations are limited by high resource consumption and environmental pollution. In contrast, microwave and resistance wire thermal reinforcement has emerged as a more efficient and environmentally responsible alternative. However, existing research on the strength characteristics and micro-mechanisms of microwave and resistance wire thermal reinforcement in wet and soft loess is still limited. To address this gap, this study conducted indoor direct shear tests and undrained compressive strength tests on thermally reinforced loess using strength theory. This research examined the variations in strength characteristics under different heating conditions. The study found that with increasing heating temperature, thermally reinforced loess experienced the following changes: 1) an increase in peak shear stress accompanied by a decrease in shear displacement; 2) an improvement in shear strength; and 3) a transition from plasticity to brittleness in failure characteristics under peak pressure, accompanied by an increase in undrained compressive strength.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abu-Zreig MM, Al-Akhras NM, Attom MF (2001) Influence of heat treatment on the behavior of clayey soils. Applied Clay Science 20(3):129–135, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0169-1317(01)00066-7
Atashgahi S, Tabarsa A, Shahryari A, Hosseini SS (2020) Effect of carbonate precipitating bacteria on strength and hydraulic characteristics of loess soil. Bulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment 79(9):4749–4763, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-020-01857-0
Bhattacharya M, Basak T (2016) A review on the susceptor assisted microwave processing of materials. Energy 97:306–338, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2015.11.034
Cai G, He X, Dong L, Liu S, Xu Z, Zhao C, Sheng D (2020) The shear and tensile strength of unsaturated soils by a grain-scale investigation. Granular Matter 22:1–16, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10035-019-0969-4
Cai G, Liu Y, Zhou A, Li J, Yang R, Zhao C (2022) Temperature-dependent water retention curve model for both adsorption and capillarity. Acta Geotechnica 17(11):l5157–5186, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11440-022-01657-8
Cai G, Shi P, Kong X, Zhao C, Likos WJ (2020) Experimental study on tensile strength of unsaturated fine sands. Acta Geotechnica 15: 1057–1065, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11440-019-00807-9
Chen R, Cai G, Congress SSC, Dong X, Duan W (2021) Dynamic properties and environmental impact of waste red mud-treated loess under adverse conditions. Bulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment 80:93–113, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-020-01937-1
Chen Z, Zhu H, Yan Z, Zhao L, Shen Y, Misra A (2016) Experimental study on physical properties of soft soil after high temperature exposure. Engineering Geology 204:14–22, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2016.01.014
Cheng J, Roy R, Agrawal D (2002) Radically different effects on materials by separated microwave electric and magnetic fields. Materials Research Innovations 5(3–4):170–177, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10019-002-8642-6
Chun YY, Liu ZH, Zhou D, Wu C, Su J, Luo XY (2021) Effect of high temperatures (100–600°C) on the soil particle composition and its micro-mechanisms. Eurasian Soil Science 54(10):1599–1607, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S1064229321100045
Derbyshire E, Dijkstra TA, Smalley IJ, Li Y (1994) Failure mechanisms in loess and the effects of moisture content changes on remoulded strength. Quaternary International 24:5–15, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/1040-6182(94)90032-9
Feng S, Lei H, Wang L, Hao Q (2021) The reinforcement analysis of soft ground treated by thermal consolidation vacuum preloading. Transportation Geotechnics 31:100672, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trgeo.2021.100672
Geng J, Sun Q (2018) Effects of high temperature treatment on physical-thermal properties of clay. Thermochimica Acta 666:148–155, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tca.2018.06.018
Giovannini G, Lucchesi S, Giachetti M (1988) Effect of heating on some physical and chemical parameters related to soil aggregation and erodibility. Soil Science 146(4):255–261
Gu K, Tang C, Shi B, Hong J, ** F (2014) A study of the effect of temperature on the structural strength of a clayey soil using a micropenetrometer. Bulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment 73:747–758, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-013-0543-y
Hamid TB, Miller GA (2009) Shear strength of unsaturated soil interfaces. Canadian Geotechnical Journal 46(5):595–606, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1139/T09-002
Hou Y, Li P, Wang J (2021) Review of chemical stabilizing agents for improving the physical and mechanical properties of loess. Bulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment 80:9201–9215, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-021-02486-x
Hou YD, Wu QB, Zhang ML, Zhou FX (2022) Thermal and deformational repairing effect of crushed rock revetment acting as reinforcement along Qinghai-Tibet railway in permafrost regions. Advances in Climate Change Research 13(3):421–431, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.accre.2022.03.001
Hu Q, Gu Y, Zeng J, He L, Tang H, Wei G, Lu X (2019) Microwave irradiation reinforcement of weak muddy intercalation in slope. Applied Clay Science 183:105324, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clay.2019.105324
Hu Q, Liu Z, He L, Gu Y, Zeng J, Li M (2023) Study on microwave heating in-situ treatment of wasted clayey soil. Journal of Soils and Sediments, 1–17, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-023-03554-3
Hueckel T, François B, Laloui L (2011) Temperature-dependent internal friction of clay in a cylindrical heat source problem. Géotechnique 61(10):831–844, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1680/geot.9.P.124
Kang X, Ge L, Kang GC, Mathews C (2015) Laboratory investigation of the strength, stiffness, and thermal conductivity of fly ash and lime kiln dust stabilised clay subgrade materials. Road Materials and Pavement Design 16(4):928–945, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14680629.2015.1028970
Lahoori M, Rosin-Paumier S, Masrouri F (2021) Effect of monotonic and cyclic temperature variations on the mechanical behavior of a compacted soil. Engineering Geology 290:106195, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2021.106195
Lu Y, Wei C, Cai G, Zhao C (2018) Study on the soil water characteristic curve and shear strength characteristics of granite soil with different weathered degree. In Proceedings of GeoShanghai 2018 International Conference: Multi-physics Processes in Soil Mechanics and Advances in Geotechnical Testing (pp. 165–172). Springer Singapore, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-0095-0_19
Ma C, Hueckel T (1992) Effects of inter-phase mass transfer in heated clays: A mixture theory. International Journal of Engineering Science 30(11):1567–1582, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/0020-7225(92)90126-2
Mishra RR, Sharma AK (2016) Microwave–material interaction phenomena: Heating mechanisms, challenges and opportunities in material processing. Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing 81:78–97, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesa.2015.10.035
Núñez V, Lotero A, Bastos CA, Sargent P, Consoli NC (2023) Mechanical and microstructure analysis of mass-stabilized organic clay thermally cured using a ternary binder. Acta Geotechnica 1–22, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11440-023-01961-x
Perusomula H, Krishnaiah S (2022) Effect of elevated temperature on geotechnical properties of soils–A review. Materials Today: Proceedings 69:1130–1133, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matpr.2022.08.178
Saggu R, Chakraborty T, Roy D, Basu D (2023) Behavior of saturated soils at elevated temperatures: A review. Indian Geotechnical Journal 53(1):227–256, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40098-022-00656-6
Song XY, Li Y, Zhang F (2019) Microstructural evolution and mechanical properties of Ni-45Ti-5Al-2Nb-1Mo alloy subjected to different heat treatments. Rare Metals, 1–7, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12598-019-01318-y
Song X, Yan X, Duan Z, Tuo J, Sun Q, Yuan X (2022) The effect of high temperature on the fracture damage of loess. Engineering Fracture Mechanics 262:108270, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engfracmech.2022.108270
Sun Z, **ao Y, Meng M, Liu H, Shi J (2023) Thermally induced volume change behavior of sand–clay mixtures. Acta Geotechnica 18(5): 2373–2388, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11440-022-01744-w
Wang S, Zhao P, Gao Z, Zhong Z, Chen B, Wu B, Song C (2022) Experimental study on directional shear of Q2 remolded loess considering the direction of principal stress. Frontiers in Earth Science 10:854668, DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2022.854668
**a Z, Chen RP, Kang X (2019) Laboratory characterization and modelling of the thermal-mechanical properties of binary soil mixtures. Soils and Foundations 59(6):2167–2179, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sandf.2019.11.013
**e X, Qi L, Li X (2022) Deformation, strength and water variation characteristics of unsaturated compacted loess. Case Studies in Construction Materials 16:e01129, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cscm.2022.e01129
Yates K, Fenton CH, Bell DH (2018) A review of the geotechnical characteristics of loess and loess-derived soils from Canterbury, South Island, New Zealand. Engineering Geology 236:11–21, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2017.08.001
Zhu C, Zhou X, Wang S (2020) Foundation treatment assessment and postconstruction settlement prediction of a loess high fill embankment: A case study. Shock and Vibration 2020:1–22, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/8864690
Acknowledgments
Not Applicable
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Lv, S., Li, X. & Li, Z. Research on the Strength Characteristics of Thermally-Stabilized Loess by Microwave and Resistance Wire Heating. KSCE J Civ Eng (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12205-024-2049-5
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12205-024-2049-5