An experimental study of the mechanical characteristics of fractured loess in western China

Microstructural changes in the loess deposits due to the presence of joint planes is one of the primary causes of the geohazards (ground fissures, ground subsidence, landslides, collapses, and soil and water losses) that occur in the loess regions of western China. By means of uniaxial tensile tests and triaxial shear tests conducted under different confining pressures, we tested fractured loess Q 2 samples with five fracture plane inclination angles (0°, 30°, 45°, 60°, and 90°) taken from Sanyuan County, Shaanxi Province in western China, where geohazards are prevalent. Analysis of the tensile stress–strain and shear stress–strain relationships of the fractured loess specimens revealed the characteristics of the fractures that induce instability in this area. These results provide important baseline data for future research on the mechanism of geohazards in the loess regions of western China.