A modified plastic Burgers model considering cohesion decay is proposed for frozen soils. A series of triaxial compression and creep tests were conducted on a kind of frozen silty clay for obtaining the model parameters. According to typical triaxial creep strain curves with only a decaying creep stage, a deformation parameter calibration method for a plastic Burgers model is proposed, and the validity of the method was further verified. When the original plastic Burgers model was incorporated with a cohesion decay function, it was shown that the successive development process of frozen soil creep strain from the decaying to non-decaying stage could be described reasonably. The modified model is applicable to frozen ground engineering cases with non-decaying creep involved.

Computer tomography (CT), combined with advanced image processing techniques, can be used to visualize the complex internal structures of living and non-living media in a non-destructive, intuitive, and precise manner in both two and three-dimensional spaces. Beyond its clinical uses, CT has been extensively employed within the field of geotechnical engineering to provide both qualitative and quantitative analyses of the microstructural properties of loess. This technology has been successfully applied in many fields. However, with the rapid development of CT technology and the expansion of its application scope, a reassessment is necessary. In recent years, only a few documents have attempted to organize and review the application cases of CT in the field of loess microstructure research. Therefore, the objectives of this work are as follows: (1) to briefly introduce the development process of CT equipment and the basic principles of CT and image processing; (2) to determine the current state and hotspots of CT technology research based on a bibliometric analysis of the literature from the past three decades in the Web of Science Core Collection and CNKI databases; and (3) to comprehensively review the application of CT to explore the microstructural characteristics (such as particle size, shape, arrangement, and the connectivity, orientation, and pore throats of pores, etc.) and the evolution of structural damage in loess within geotechnical science. In addition, the progress and deficiencies of CT applications in the field of loess microstructure are summarized, and future prospects are proposed.

This study aims to evaluate the accuracy of different dynamic compaction (DC) load equivalent conversion methods in DC vibration calculations. It also investigates the effect of vibration isolation treatments on the vibration reduction performance of loess foundations, with the goal of optimizing vibration control during DC construction. Five classical methods were used to convert the DC loads into time-dependent surface loads, which were subsequently fed into Plaxis’s dynamic multiplier table for the numerical implementation of DC tests. By comparing the numerical simulation results with in situ monitoring data from a loess site, the accuracy of the five DC load equivalent conversion methods was evaluated. The momentum theorem method was identified as the most precise for both vibration velocity and settlement. Subsequently, the momentum theorem method was utilized to investigate the influence of depth and distance of vibration isolation trench, as well as the properties of vibration isolation materials on vibration reduction effect. It is indicated that the optimal depth for the vibration isolation trench of the loess site is 2 m, beyond which the improvement in vibration reduction effects is not notable. The excavation distance of the vibration isolation trench should be set as close as possible to the boundary of the construction site to achieve the best vibration reduction effect. As for the properties of vibration isolation materials, it is shown that the unit weight and damping ratio of the filling material have a significant effect on the vibration reduction effect, while the influence of the shear strength of the filling material is negligible. Besides the vibrating reduction influence of filling materials, utilizing spring dampers has a better vibration reduction effect. Increasing the stiffness of the spring dampers and reducing their spacing can significantly enhance the vibration reduction effect. In practical engineering applications, it is essential to consider both the effects and economic costs to select the optimal vibration reduction treatment and its parameters. This study provides a scientific basis for vibration control during DC construction, contributing to ensuring construction safety and efficiency while minimizing the impact on the surrounding environment.

This study quantitatively investigates the influence of inter-particle rotation moment transition and mesoscopic friction on the macroscopic mechanical behavior of frozen sand by integrating plane strain tests with discrete element simulations. Two distinct contact models were employed under different temperatures and loading rates. The numerical results demonstrate that the parallel bond model, which accounts for particle rotation, accurately reproduces the full-range stress–strain response, including the strain-softening stage, whereas the contact bond model underestimates post-peak strength due to its inability to transmit moments. It is revealed that taking the influence of rotation moment transition into consideration promotes the uniformity of the local deformation distribution, thereby enhancing the material’s ductility, while mesoscopic friction parameters directly govern the shear band inclination angle at failure. Discrepancies in shear band morphology between experiments and simulations—single versus X-shaped bands—are explained by the inclination of loading plates in physical tests. This study establishes quantitative links between mesoscopic interaction mechanisms and macroscopic responses, offering valuable insights for developing advanced constitutive models for frozen soil in engineering applications.

Frozen soil creep is a primary factor affecting the long-term stability of cold-region engineering. Based on a structured, PRISMA-informed search of Web of Science, Scopus, CNKI, and ScienceDirect (last searched 31 August 2026; coverage 1950–2026), 126 peer-reviewed papers were included after screening 243 de-duplicated records (296 records initially identified; 53 duplicates removed). This paper reviews recent advances in frozen soil creep from four perspectives: experimental methods, micro-mechanisms, mechanical characteristics, and constitutive models. In experiments, laboratory temperature control has expanded from uniform fields to temperature gradient fields, and field monitoring achieves creep separation and multi-parameter sensing via plate load tests, layered settlement, and distributed optical fibers. At the micro-scale, techniques such as Computed Tomography (CT), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), and Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) infer the synergistic mechanisms of unfrozen water lubrication, mass-transport medium for solutes and particles, and breakdown of ice cementation across the three creep stages. Concerning mechanical characteristics, the influences of temperature, water content, confining pressure, loading conditions, and salinity on creep rate and failure are summarized; the determination methods and influencing factors of long-term strength are analyzed; and the physical bases and applicability of various strength criteria are compared. In terms of models, the theoretical frameworks, key advances, and application boundaries of empirical models, element models, and classical theoretical models are reviewed. Finally, it is indicated that future breakthroughs lie in constructing a cross-scale bridge of “micro-mechanisms–meso-representation–macro-response” and developing a unified constitutive model that adopts key mechanism parameters as internal variables while balancing physical interpretability and parameter accessibility.