Previous studies have shown that structure has a significant influence on the mechanical deformation of unsaturated loess, but there is little published information focused on the influence mechanism of microstructure and mesostructure on the mechanical properties of loess. In this paper, the unsaturated undisturbed loess and its remolded loess under the same physical condition were taken as the research objects. The unsaturated triaxial shear tests with constant suction and net confining pressure were carried out, and the microstructure differences between the two are compared by using SEM and CT scanning to reveal the influence of structure on strength characteristics. The test results show that the cohesion and internal friction angle of undisturbed loess are greater than those of remolded loess. The angle of undisturbed soil particles is obvious, and the particles are bracket contact with good cementation. The remolded loess particles are close to round shape, and the particles are inlaid contact with destroyed cementation. The average radius of undisturbed soil is higher than that of remolded soil, indicating that there are bracket pores in undisturbed soil, but the bracket structure and macropores are deformed during shear deformation, and good structural and cementation ensure the strength of loess specimens.

To investigate the reinforcement–soil interfacial effects in fiber-reinforced soil, this study developed a novel horizontal pullout tester and conducted pullout tests on coarse polypropylene fibers in plain soil, cemented soil, and fine fiber-reinforced cemented soil. Three soil types were analyzed: low liquid limit clay, high liquid limit clay, and clay sand. The pullout tester proved to be both scientifically robust and efficient. Depending on the soil properties, coarse polypropylene fibers were pulled out intact or fractured. The pullout curves displayed distinct multi-peak patterns, with wavelengths closely linked to the fiber’s intrinsic characteristics. The pullout curve wavelength for plain soil matched the fiber’s intrinsic wavelength, while it was slightly greater in cemented soils. The peak pullout force increased with extended curing periods, higher cement content, more excellent compaction, and the addition of fine polypropylene fibers. Among these factors, compaction had the most significant impact on enhancing the soil–fiber interfacial effect. Friction, cohesion, and fiber interweaving created interlocking effects, inhibiting fiber sliding. Cement hydration processes further deformed the fiber, increasing its friction coefficient and sliding resistance. Hydration products also fill soil voids, improving soil compactness, enlarging the fiber–soil contact area, and enhancing frictional and occlusal forces at the interface.

The weakening of loess structure under hydro-mechanical effect is an important reason for collapsible deformation of loess. Therefore, when establishing the constitutive model of unsaturated loess, it is necessary to consider the influence of loess structure to truly reflect the mechanical characteristics. A modified elastoplastic damage structural constitutive model (MEDSCM) is proposed for unsaturated Q₃ undisturbed loess based on the modified Barcelona basic model (MBBM), assuming that the yield stress of undisturbed loess is a coupling of remolded loess and structure, and adopting the non-associated flow rule. The structural evolution equations of unsaturated Q₃ loess in loading and collapsing are introduced respectively, and obtained the constitutive model of soil skeleton in loading and collapsing. There are a total of 18 parameters for the loading model and 15 parameters for the collapsibility model, which are determined by mechanical tests on unsaturated loess. By comparing the triaxial compression and collapsible test data with the model calculation results, the accuracy of the model is verified, and progress has been made in describing the weak hardening characteristics of unsaturated loess. The research results provide a new attempt for further understanding the mechanical properties of loess.

The mechanical properties of loess-steel interface are of great significance for understanding the residual strength and deformation of loess. However, the undisturbed loess has significant structural properties, while the remolded loess has weak structural properties. There are few reports on the mechanical properties of loess-steel interface from the structural point of view. This paper focused on the ring shear test between undisturbed loess as well as its remolded loess and steel interface under the same physical mechanics and test conditions (water content, shear rate and vertical pressure), and explored the influence mechanism of structure on the mechanical deformation characteristics of steel-loess interface. The results show that the shear rate has little effect on the residual strength of the undisturbed and remolded loess-steel interface. However, the water content has a significant influence on the residual strength of the loess-steel interface, moreover, the residual internal friction angle is the dominant factor supporting the residual strength of the loess-steel interface. In general, the residual strength of the undisturbed loess-steel interface is greater than that of the remolded loess specimen (for example, the maximum percentage of residual strength difference between undisturbed and remolded loess specimens under the same moisture content is 6.8%), which is because that compared with the mosaic arrangement structure of the remolded loess, the overhead arrangement structure of the undisturbed loess skeleton particles makes the loess particles on the loess-steel interface re-adjust the arrangement direction earlier and reach a stable speed relatively faster. The loess particles with angular angles in the undisturbed loess make the residual internal friction between the particles greater than the smoother particles of the remolded loess (for example, the maximum percentage of residual cohesion difference between undisturbed and remolded loess specimens under the same vertical pressure is 4.29%), and the intact cement between undisturbed loess particles brings stronger cohesion than the remolded loess particles with destroyed cement (for example, the maximum difference percentage of residual cohesion between undisturbed and remolded soil specimens under the same vertical pressure is 33.80%). The test results provide experimental basis for further revealing the influence mechanism of structure, and parameter basis for similar engineering construction.

1. Loess is widely distributed in arid and semi-arid regions, particularly across the Loess Plateau in northwestern China (Francisca et al., 2024; Tian et al., 2025). Owing to its pronounced metast...