High-liquid limit red clay has poor engineering characteristics, namely poor water stability, low strength, and large expansion and contraction deformation. The clay may be reinforced with an F1 ionic soil stabilizer. The engineering characteristics of this reinforced clay were studied, specifically concerning its basic physical parameters, shear strength parameters, and micropore structure. The F1 ionic soil stabilizer significantly improved the water sensitivity, compaction characteristics, and shear strength of red clay. We determined that the optimal F1 ionic soil stabilizer mix was 0.5 L/m³, resulting in a reinforced clay with plastic limit increased by 45.74%, optimal moisture content increased by 12.12%, maximum dry density increased by 5.8%, liquid limit reduced by 8.4%, plasticity index reduced by 43.8%, infiltration coefficient reduced by 41.8%, cohesion increased 1.64-fold, and internal friction angle increased 1.30-fold. Freeze-thaw cycles reduced the shear strength parameters of the reinforced red clay, although even after 15 cycles, it still had 18.4% higher cohesion and 57.1% higher internal friction angle than undisturbed red clay. The F1 ionic soil stabilizer significantly reduced the pore size and area of red clay, the complex connected pore structure is adjusted to a more regular structure. The reinforced clay had 56.64% lower pore area ratio, 32.27% lower average Feret diameter, and 2.43% lower fractal dimension.

Bored piles comprise an advanced pile foundation technology that has the advantages of high bearing capacity, fast construction speed, stable construction technology, and no noise or mud pollution. To study the applicability of bored piles to collapsible loess sites, the compaction effect and load-bearing characteristics of bored piles before and after immersion were studied via a full-scale field test combined with the theory of hole expansion. The results indicate that when the pile spacing is 1.0, 1.25, and 1.5 m, the average dry density of the soil between piles increases by 23.8%, 18.5%, and 3.1%, respectively, compared with that of untreated foundation soil. When bored piles are used to treat deep collapsible loess foundations, the reasonable pile spacing to eliminate the collapsibility of the loess foundation is 2.5 times the pile diameter. It is feasible to estimate the effective compaction range using the pore expansion theory, and the effective compaction coefficients of similar sites are given. The positive friction of bored piles in the collapsible loess area is more than 95.5 kPa, which increases by more than 48.5% compared with that of non-extruded piles. Therefore, the bearing capacity of a single pile is significantly improved, and it is an effective treatment method for collapsible loess areas. Under immersion, the pile side negative friction did not change significantly with a pile diameter of approximately 27 kPa, and the increase was approximately 14% compared with that of non-extruded piles. Consequently, to avoid the adverse effects of negative friction resistance on the bearing capacity of pile foundations and to fully utilize the technical advantages of bored piles, it is necessary to eliminate or partially eliminate site collapsibility before applying bored piles. The results can provide experimental support and theoretical guidance for the popularization and application of screw–squeeze piles in deep, collapsible loess areas.

The engineering properties of collapsible loess have significant uncertainty. Accurate prediction of collapsible deformation is crucial for the safety of engineering construction in loess areas. Taking the typical collapsible loess stratum as the research object in Xi’an, based on the random field theory, combined with the Monte Carlo strategy and modulus reduction method, the stochastic finite element analysis of loess self-weight collapsibility is carried out to study the influence of the spatial variability of compression modulus on the self-weight collapsibility of loess. The results show that the loess tends to be stratified and average along the depth direction with the increase of transverse correlation distance. The random field result of self-weight collapsibility considering the spatial variability of compression modulus is significantly greater than the deterministic result of layered average and the calculated value of loess code. Considering the low compression modulus dominance effect of compression modulus with positive skewed distribution of random field, the equivalent characteristic value of the compression modulus calculated by the layered average modeling for the collapsibility evaluation of typical loess strata in Xi'an area is proposed.

The fractal characteristics of soil microstructures, including the size, distribution, and dynamic evolution process of soil particles, cracks, and intergranular pores, are important factors influencing the macroscopic physical properties of soils. Quantitative characterization, qualitative analysis, and the impact of fractal characteristics on macroscopic properties have been important research directions in recent years. This paper summarizes the research status on soil microstructure fractal characteristics, elaborating on the kinds of soil fractal characteristics, the calculation methods of fractal characteristic parameters, and the influence of fractal characteristics on macroscopic properties. Based on existing research results, this paper proposes that future research on soil microstructure fractal characteristics should focus on the following aspects: (1) advancing fractal characteristic research towards higher precision and multi-dimensionality to reveal the internal relations between soil fractal characteristics and macroscopic physical properties; (2) strengthening interdisciplinary collaboration to promote theoretical innovation in fractal analysis and build a more comprehensive system for studying the evolution of soil fractal characteristics; and (3) a close integration with engineering tests to promote the application and transformation of research results, providing valuable references for optimizing construction schemes and improving the service performance of engineering structures.

To study the water vapor adsorption and desorption characteristics of unsaturated loess under different initial moisture contents and environmental humidity changes, isothermal adsorption tests were conducted at various humidity levels. The experimental results indicated that relative humidity is a decisive factor in the water vapor adsorption and desorption of unsaturated loess. The mode of adsorption changes with different humidity levels, shifting from monolayer adsorption to multilayer adsorption and then to capillary condensation. Moreover, the higher the humidity, the greater the initial adsorption rate and equilibrium adsorption capacity, while the opposite is true for desorption. When the moisture content varies, the desorption rates are similar and the isothermal adsorption curves are alike. The equilibrium adsorption capacity increases, the desorption amount decreases, and the monolayer adsorption capacity increases with higher moisture content. Additionally, the water vapor adsorption capacity is directly related to the distance from the adsorption sites to the adsorption surface. If the distance is too large, adsorption cannot be completed. However, during desorption, this distance only affects the initial desorption rate, with the equilibrium desorption amount remaining consistent.