Investigation of Cement-Improved Loess Permeability and Pore Structure Alterations in Eroding Conditions
摘要
Acid–alkali erosive environments significantly influence the pore structure and permeability of cement-improved loess, thereby affecting the durability and safety of structures in loess regions. Erosion tests with HCl solutions at varying concentrations were conducted, using NaOH solution erosion as a control, to analyze disintegration mechanisms and the causes of pH variations in the erosive solutions. The sensitivity of the permeability coefficient to the concentration of erosive solutions was investigated through triaxial permeability tests. Additionally, the relationship between acid–alkali erosion and the pore structure-permeability characteristics of cement-improved loess was microscopically interpreted using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) tests. The results indicated that cement-improved loess disintegrates in both acid and alkali environments, albeit through distinct mechanisms. Under 7-day curing conditions, the porosity of cement-improved loess decreased after exposure to low-concentration HCl and NaOH solutions, whereas high-concentration HCl solutions induced an increasing porosity trend. Increased confining pressure reduced the saturated permeability coefficient, though the relationship between them was not strictly linear.