Collapse characteristics and influencing factors of wind-blown sands in the southern margin of Mu Us Desert, Yulin, Shaanxi Province

Abstract

With the development of arid and semi-arid regions in China, the hazards posed by collapsible sands to engineering construction have become increasingly significant. In order to investigate the collapsibility regularity and its influencing factors of sand soils, this paper focuses on the wind-blown sands at the southern edge of the Maowusu Desert. Initially, by controlling the single factor laboratory compression tests, the collapsibility regularity of wind-blown sand under different working conditions was investigated. Subsequently, using PFC3D (three-dimensional particle flow software) for numerical simulation of the laboratory compression tests on wind-blown sands, the paper explores the effects of different porosities and particle compositions on the collapsibility of sandy soils. The research results indicate that the collapsibility coefficient of sandy soils shows a trend of first increasing and then decreasing with pressure, reaching its maximum value at 150 kPa. With the increase in dry density or moisture content, the collapsibility coefficient of sand decreases. Compared to moisture content, dry density has a greater impact on the collapsibility of sandy soils. There is a positive correlation between the collapsibility coefficient of wind-blown sand and its porosity. The initial porosity of the collapsibility of the wind-blown sand on the southern edge of the Maowusu Desert is 0.425. When the ratio of particle content between 0.075～0.25 mm and 0.25～0.5 mm is 0.35∶0.65, the collapsibility of sandy soils is maximized. The research results comprehensively describe the entire process of laboratory compression tests on sand from macro to micro levels, revealing the collapsibility regularity and its influencing factors on wind-blown sand from multiple scales. This can provide a reference for engineering construction in the Maowusu Desert and provide certain ideas and basis for the research on particle flow numerical simulation of sand.

Keywords

• wind-blown sand
• laboratory compression test
• collapse characteristics
• particle flow numerical simulation