Experimental Study on the Effects of Freeze–Thaw Cycles on Strength and Microstructure of Xining Region Loess in China

Loess, a collapsible soil, is widely distributed in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau in China. In the meantime, loess is a sustainable and green building material that is widely used in traditional residential buildings. However, previous studies have focused on the properties of loess itself, ignoring the influence of climatic conditions on loess buildings, as well as a series of engineering problems such as soil spalling caused by freezing and thawing, cold cracks in walls, and settlement deformation of foundation. This research presents a series of laboratory tests on both undisturbed and remolded loess. The tests investigated changes in the unconfined compressive strength (UCS) of both types of loess after different freeze–thaw cycles. The freeze–thaw-induced changes to the internal structures of the loess were also investigated using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray diffraction test (XRD). The test results showed that: (1) with increasing freeze–thaw cycles, the UCS of both the undisturbed and remolded loess appeared to first increase and then decrease, and the stress–strain curves showed a stronger strain-softening tendency. (2) The compressive strength of undisturbed loess is higher than remolded loess. (3) SEM analysis showed that the large particles inside the loess sample were gradually broken down into small particles, which led to an accumulative increase in fine particles and a decrease in the porosity. With the increase in the number of freeze–thaw cycles, the particles inside the soil become denser, and the strength increases. (4) Freezing and thawing have less effect on loess minerals. (5) The conclusion can provide a reference value for the protection of loess buildings in Qinghai and the management of freeze–thaw disasters.

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