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Advanced hyperspectral remote sensing technology can identify various clay minerals in the soil. The improved spectral and spatial resolution of the airborne hyperspectral sensor can be used for a better interpretation of clay mineral abundance in the soil. This research utilizes the high-resolution image data acquired from Advanced Visible Infrared Imaging Spectrometer Next Generation (AVIRIS-NG) on an airborne platform to map the abundance of clay minerals in the Udaipur region of Rajasthan (24° 34′ 16.5720′' N, 73° 41′ 29.5584′' E). The representative soil samples for various soil clay minerals, e.g., kaolinite, montmorillonite, and illite, were classified from AVIRIS-NG data using a spectral feature fitting algorithm. A total of thirty sites were selected from agricultural and wastelands for soil sample collection. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis of representative soil samples was carried out to find the percentage and type of clay minerals present. Regression analysis between absorption peak depth values estimated from the hyperspectral image of the sampling sites in the spectral region from 2205 to 2214 nm and corresponding clay content value showed a significant relationship. The regression line obtained for the known pixels was used to prepare the mineral abundance map over the study area. This study significantly indicates the dominance of montmorillonite clay mineral over kaolinite and illite in the soils of the Udaipur region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sodic soil formation, following irrigation with saline-sodic water has become a major concern due to its negative impact on soil structure, crop growth and yield. However, specifically in orchards, little knowledge exists regarding the reclamation of sodic soils. Our objective was to examine the effects of different amendments on soil reclamation and crop performance of olive grove. The study was conducted in a 14 years old olive grove, grown in a clayey soil, in which irrigation started in 2008 using saline-sodic water resulting in sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) ranging from 22 to 40 (mmol c L−1)0.5. Six treatments were studied: control (no amendments applied), CaCl 2 , MgCl 2 and H 2 SO 4 that were added to the irrigation water, and gypsiferous material (GM) that was added to the soil surface prior to the rainy season and either left spread or tilled into the upper soil layer. Soil samples were analyzed for selected saturated extract properties and for aggregate stability. Additionally, plant parameters including yield, trunk expansion, fruit oil content, and tree nutritional status were measured. The results showed that the lowest SARs were observed in the GM and GM till treatments at 0–30 cm [5.0 and 3.3 (mmol c L−1)0.5, respectively], while CaCl 2 and MgCl 2 treatments had the lowest SARs at 30–90 cm [16.2 and 17.1 (mmol c L−1)0.5, respectively]. GM and CaCl 2 application raised the electrical conductivity (EC) levels to 6.9 and 7.6 dS m−1 respectively. GM addition resulted in the most stable aggregates which was associated with a significant improvement in average tree productivity of 33 kg/tree. Conversely, MgCl 2 had the lowest average yield, of 21.3 kg/tree, which was attributed to the high concentration of Mg that led to some nutrient imbalances. In conclusion, the current study showed the efficacy of different amendments based on Ca for remediating sodic soil in drip-irrigated orchards. • Soils irrigated with sodic water require reclamation. • Gypsiferous material addition yielded stable aggregates and improved crop productivity. • Adding CaCl 2 and MgCl 2 effectively decreased SAR to a depth of 90 cm. • Amending with MgCl 2 caused nutrient imbalances. • Addition of sulferic acid was ineffective in sodic soil remediation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil cracking can significantly alter the water and nutrient migration pathways in the soil, influencing plant growth and development. While biochar usage has effectively addressed soil cracking, the feasibility of using less energy-intensive hydrochars in desiccating soils remains unexplored. This study investigates the impact of wood and peanut shell hydrochars on the desiccation cracking characteristics of clayey soil. A series of controlled environmental laboratory incubations with regular imaging was conducted to determine crack development's dynamic in unamended and hydrochar-amended soils. The results reveal that the addition of wood hydrochar at 2% and 4% dosage reduced the crack intensity factor (CIF) by 22% and 43%, respectively, compared to the unamended control soil. Similarly, the inclusion of peanut shell hydrochar at 2% and 4% lowered the CIF by 22% and 51%, respectively. The presence of hydrophilic groups on the surface of hydrochars, such as O–H, CH, and C–O–C, enhanced the water retention capacity, as confirmed by Fourier-transform infrared analysis. The CIF decrease is attributed to mitigated water evaporation rates, enabled by enhanced water retention within the hydrochar pore spaces. These findings are supported by scanning electron microscopy analyses of the hydrochar morphology. Despite CIF reduction with hydrochar incorporation, the crack length density (CLD) increased across all hydrochar-amended series. In contrast to unamended soil which exhibited pronounced widening of large cracks and extensive inter-pore voids, the incorporation of hydrochar resulted in higher CLD due to the formation of finer interconnecting crack meshes. Consequently, the unamended control soil suffered greater water loss due to heightened evaporation rates. This study sheds new light on the potential of hydrochars in addressing desiccation-induced soil cracking and its implications for water conservation. [Display omitted] • The addition of wood and peanut shell hydrochars reduced crack intensity factor by 43 and 51% compared to the unamended soil. • The crack length density increased in the hydrochar-amended soil. • The addition of hydrochar contributed to a reduction in water evaporation rate. • The presence of hydrophilic groups on the surface of hydrochars enhanced the water retention capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The failure mechanism of the soil between the digging holes was analyzed with the experimental work and related numerical simulations. • The optimum hole spacing was determined with the limit state method during the rectification process of underexcavation. Furthermore, some specific hole spacing values were suggested considering the stochastic characters of the soil. • The method was testified using the actual engineering projects with the reliability and accuracy. The underexcavation technique is one of the most commonly used ones for the rectification of leaning buildings. It usually involves hole digging, and soil removing in the base. The potential failure of the soil between the digging holes determines the hole spacing, which is of critical importance in the safety and efficiency of the entire rectification procedure. The determination of the hole spacing is primarily related to the soil parameters, the upper load induced by the structure, and the holes diameter. In context with this problem, an experimental study, and related computational simulations were conducted with three different hole spacing values. The failure mode of the soil between the holes, and the settlement were studied. It was found that for smaller hole spacing, the failure and the settlement of the soil was more pronounced. Thus, an optimal hole spacing was sought, which was related to the starting point of the leaning building straightening back. In this context, the finite element limit method was employed to determine the optimal hole spacing, with the soil ultimate strain treated as the failure criterion. Further, a parametric study on typical clay and silty soils was undertaken, and the optimal hole spacing values for different upper loads were determined for three typical cases of soil parameters. Finally, three actual rectification projects were considered to assess the reliability of the developed procedure. Hopefully, this method can be a facilitating tool for apriori studies, and initial planning of rectification related engineering projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tensile strength is a crucial mechanical property that governs the initiation and propagation of soil tensile cracks. With the global prevalence of warming effects and extreme climatic events, the recurrent freeze-thaw (F-T) cycles intensify the complex evolutions of soil pore structure and tensile strength in regions with widespread seasonal freezing or permafrost active layers. This study investigates the combined influence of F-T cycles and desiccation on the tensile strength of clayey soils. Specimens with varying compaction water contents (14.5%, 16.5%, and 18.5%) and dry densities (1.5 Mg/m3, 1.6 Mg/m3, and 1.7 Mg/m3) were prepared and subjected to cyclic F-T actions. A direct tensile test apparatus was utilized to measure tensile strength (σ t) along the desiccation path. Additionally, the changes in void ratio (e) and suction (s) during F-T cycles were analyzed to understand the mechanism behind the changes in σ t. Experimental results reveal that as the number of F-T cycles (N) increases, water content (w) declines at a decreasing rate and eventually stabilizes. With increasing N , the tensile displacement at failure and σ t show a pattern of initially decreasing and subsequently rising, with the inflection point typically around 1.5%–2.0% lower than the compaction water content (w 0). Under a few F-T cycles, soils compacted at the optimum water content and on the wet side exhibit higher void ratio and lower suction and σ t compared with dry-side compacted soils. However, this trend reverses with further increasing N. In addition, σ t increases as compaction dry density (ρ d0) rises within all water content ranges, primarily attributed to the significant interparticle cohesion controlled by a dense pore structure. The variation of σ t under F-T and associated desiccation is linked with the microstructural evolution characterized by aggregates, interaggregate pores and water-bridges. It is recommended to compact soils both on the dry side of the optimum water content and at the maximum dry density to enhance the freeze-thaw resistance of earth-works in seasonally frozen regions. • Freeze-thaw cycles with desiccation influence compacted soils' tensile strength. • Variations in void ratio and suction during freeze-thaw cycles govern tensile strength. • Soils with higher compaction water content exhibit greater expansion and shrinkage potential. • Dry-side compacted soils resist freeze-thaw risks better. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tire wear particles (TWPs) are significant contributors to microplastic pollution in the environment, yet there is limited scientific information concerning their impact on soil hydraulic properties. This study aimed to investigate the impact of TWPs at different concentrations (1, 4, 8, and 16% of the air-dried mass of packed soil samples, w/w) on the water retention curves (WRC) of southern California soils with five different textures (clay, clay loam, silt loam, sandy loam, and loamy sand). The concentrations of 8% and 16% were selected to represent extreme pollution scenarios that might occur near highway corridors. High-resolution water retention data, spanning from saturation to oven dryness, were generated using HYPROP™ and WP4C dew point meter instruments. We also developed WRC scaling equations based on the quantity of TWPs. The bulk density of the samples decreased as the TWP concentration in soils increased. The inclusion of very high concentrations of TWPs (8% and 16% w/w) led to a significant reduction in soil moisture content in the intermediate and dry ranges across various soil textures. However, at the same moisture range, adding 1% TWPs had a minimal impact on soil moisture reduction, while the influence of the 4% TWPs concentration treatment was noticeable only in loamy sand and partially in clay loam soils. Additionally, the overall plant available water decreased with increasing TWP concentrations, except for the clay soil. The texture-specific scaling models exhibited promising performance, with RMSE values ranging from 0.0061 to 0.0120 cm3 cm−3. When bulk density was included as an additional input predictor to construct a single scaling model for all textures, the RMSE increased. Nevertheless, it still indicated a good fit ranging from 0.007 to 0.024 cm3 cm−3, highlighting the suitability of simple scaling for identifying WRC in TWPs-polluted soils, particularly for practical purposes. The findings of this study can contribute to a better understanding and quantification of the impact of TWPs on soil hydrology. • HYPROP and WP4C were used for high-resolution measurement of soil water retention from saturation to dryness. • The impact of tire wear particles (concentrations 1–16%) on the water retention curve of 5 soil textures was investigated. • A linear scaling model accurately estimated the soil moisture reduction in the plant available water range due to TWPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cracking phenomena are prevalent within clayey soils, substantially augmenting the evaporation process and exerting notable influences on soil thermo-hydro-mechanical properties. In this study, a new numerical method is developed to study the evaporation process of cracked soil, coupling moisture migration and heat transfer within both soil and air domains. The interconnection between these domains is established through boundary conditions based on soil-atmosphere interaction. This new model enables precise spatio-temporal tracking of evaporation rates and corresponding water redistribution. It is of significance for assessing the stability of soil slopes with cracks under changing climate. Three sets of numerical tests are performed to investigate the effects of different environmental conditions on the evaporation process: various groundwater tables, atmospheric conditions and crack morphologies. Results revealed that alterations in groundwater levels modify water recharge pathways, leading water content reduces firstly at soils where away from the water table. Atmospheric conditions, represented by D atm , affect the migration of water vapor. When D atm is low, it leads to the accumulation of vapor at the soil-atmosphere interface, consequently decreasing the rate of evaporation. Furthermore, crack morphology plays a significant role in evaporation process at crack surface, notably expediting water loss between cracks, particularly in closer proximities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge of soil organic carbon (OC) components and enzyme activities is essential to maintain soil health and for sustainable land use during long-term vegetation restoration. The effects of vegetation restoration on soil physicochemical properties have been widely documented; however, knowledge of the relationships among soil OC components, enzyme activities, and soil properties in restored ecosystems remains unclear. Here, the soil from four successional stages of restored Robinia pseudoacacia vegetation (10, 20, 30, and 40 years) were sampled in China's Loess Plateau. The soil water content (SWC), bulk density (BD), pH, total nitrogen (TN), soil microbial biomass C (MBC) and N (MBN) contents, OC components (labile and recalcitrant OC), and soil enzyme (hydrolytic and oxidase) activities were measured. We found that restoration time significantly affects soil physicochemical properties, OC components and enzyme activities. Across the restoration time, the SWC decreased from year 10 to year 30, then increased from year 30 to year 40. Soil OC and TN increased with restoration time, while soil clay content decreased with restoration time. Following 40 years of restoration, soil MBC and MBN significantly increased by 214% and 88%, respectively. For OC components, 40 years of restoration significantly increased recalcitrant C component rather than labile C component. Soil hydrolytic enzyme activities significantly increased by 76.9% and 80.3% in 40 years stand compared with that of in 10 years stand, respectively, while soil oxidase enzyme activities significantly decreased with restoration time. Correlation analysis demonstrated that the SOC and MBC content significantly influenced soil recalcitrant C component and hydrolytic enzyme activities, while MBC and clay content significantly influenced soil oxidase enzyme activities. These results provided useful insights on the responses of forest restoration on soil OC components and related OC degrading enzymes and the understanding of soil C sequestration in the restored ecosystems in such areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• SOC bioavailability significantly differed among soil particle-size fractions. • SOC bioavailability of fine sand increased by 200 %, whereas clay reduced by 60 % • The porosity of fine sand was 60% of clay. • Abundances of soil elements of clay were 6–30 times higher than fine sand. • Microbial activity, mediated by soil morphology, affected SOC bioavailability. Despite the fact that physical and chemical processes have been widely proposed to explicate the stabilization mechanisms of soil organic carbon (SOC), thebioavailability of SOC linked to soil physical structure, microbial community structure, and functional genes remains poorly understood. This study aims to investigate the SOC division based on bioavailability differences formed by physical isolation, and to clarify the relationships of SOC bioavailability with soil elements, pore characteristics, and microbial activity. Results revealed that soil element abundances such as SOC, TN, and DOC ranked in the same order as the soil porosity as clay > silt ≥ coarse sand > fine sand in both top and sub soil. In contrast to silt and clay, which had reduced SOC bioavailability, fine sand and coarse sand had dramatically enhanced SOC bioavailability compared to the bulk soil. The bacterial and fungal community structure was significantly influenced by particle size, porosity, and soil elements. Copiotrophic bacteria and functional genes were more prevalent in fine sand than clay, which also contained more oligotrophic bacteria. The SOC bioavailability was positively correlated with abundances of functional genes, C degradation genes, and copiotrophic bacteria, but negatively correlated with abundances of soil elements, porosity, oligotrophic bacteria, and microbial biomass (p < 0.05). This indicated that the soil physical structure divided SOC into pools with varying levels of bioavailability, with sand fractions having more bioavailable organic carbon than finer fractions. Copiotrophic Proteobacteria and oligotrophic Acidobacteria, Firmicutes, and Gemmatimonadetes made up the majority of the bacteria linked to SOC mineralization. Additionally, the fungi Mortierellomycota and Mucoromycota, which are mostly involved in SOC mineralization, may have the potential for oligotrophic metabolism. Our results indicated that particle-size fractionation could influence the SOC bioavailability by restricting SOC accessibility and microbial activity, thus having a significant impact on sustaining soil organic carbon reserves in temperate agricultural ecosystems, and provided a new research direction for organic carbon stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Kahramanmaraş Earthquakes that occurred on 6 February 2023 resulted in extensive structural failures, including damages caused by soil liquefaction. This study focused on investigating the excessive settlements observed in buildings along Ataturk Boulevard in the Golbasi district, with a primary emphasis on the toppling failure of the Kayı Apartment. Field exploration, laboratory testing, and bearing capacity analyses were conducted to understand the failure mechanism. Since the foundation soil of Kayı Apartment predominantly consisted of clay, soil liquefaction alone could not explain the observed failure. Instead, the cyclic softening of clayey soil underground shaking was identified as a significant factor contributing to the damage. As one of the rare case histories documenting a failure caused by cyclic softening, the results of the study also shed light on the excessive displacements observed in nearby buildings with fewer stories that managed to withstand the earthquake without experiencing complete bearing capacity failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biochar is a product of the thermal treatment of sustainably sourced organics or waste biomass, which enhances nutrient availability and exchangeable cations after soil application. Biochar feedstock is one of the primary factors influencing the availability of exchangeable cations in biochar and soil-biochar mix. However, this influence is not satisfactorily understood due to contrasting data among literature for the cation exchange capacity (CEC) and the lack of standard analysis methods for CEC of biochar and soil-biochar mixtures. Therefore, this research was conducted to assess cation exchange in contrasting soil-biochar mixes, where CEC is measured as (1) the sum of base cations (Na+, K+, Mg 2+, and Ca2+) displaced by ammonium acetate (CEC-BC) and (2) NH 4 + displaced by potassium chloride (CEC-NH 4 +). For the first time, we have evaluated CEC-BC and CEC-NH 4 + in 21 different biochar samples using a modified method. We then used 12 representative biochars with 3 soil types (2% w/w biochar) and provided insights on relative changes in CEC-BC and individual base cations. Some previous studies have indicated a relationship between CEC and surface area and a degree of additivity in the resulting CEC of soil-biochar mixes. However, our study demonstrates an absence of these correlations and a lack of additivity in the representative biochar products. We found that biochar prepared from mixed garden wastes can increase K+ or Ca2+ in loamy or sandy soils and mitigate potential soil sodicity problems in loamy soils. However, a clayey soil may or may not need biochar for the specific purpose of increasing exchangeable cations. Our results revealed that biochar prepared from hardwood or mixed garden waste can retain NH 4 + and deliver it to soil acting as a sink and source for soil nutrients. [Display omitted] • Presence of exchangeable cations in biochar is primarily influenced by feedstock type. • Exchangeable K+ was increased by more than 400% in sandy loam soil after application of 2% w/w biochar. • Hardwood or cellulosic biomass derived biochar increases the cation exchange capacity of clayey soils. • Biochar can help mitigate potential soil sodicity by reducing exchangeable Na+ in loamy soils. • Biochar can store significant NH 4 +, suggesting potential use as a slow-release fertilizer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents an investigation of the earth pressure evolution within the large grid wall foundation by deep mixing at the expansion site of the Lianyungang port operation. The earth pressure coefficient within the structure fully embedded into the deep soft clay soils cannot only be designed based on the active and passive earth pressure. Therefore, this investigation attempted to use a combination of numerical modelling and post-processing of the numerical results using the geostatistical method to study the critical part of the foundation to endure high earth pressure. The numerical modelling was validated using the centrifuge lateral displacement results. Moreover, the post-processing of the numerical results using geostatistics helped to comprehend the earth pressure evolution within the location of the large grid wall foundation by deep mixing. The Kriging method was found to be the best gridding method based on its high performance and stability on the two datasets that were implemented. The results presented herein depicted that the large grid wall foundation will suffer high induced stresses on the upper part up to the depth of approximately 5 m and as a result it will cause lateral displacement, tilting and shearing off improved soil on the upper section of the foundation. Furthermore, the factor of safety-based numerical and centrifuge shear stress results was 10.14, and 13.79 respectively, while based on the flexural stress from the numerical model the factor of safety was 88.2. Thus, indicating that the large grid wall foundation by deep mixing will be able to withstand the induced stress from the 250 kPa of the surcharge loading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil health is an essential part of agricultural productivity, food security, and ecological sustainability. In the U.S., national, state, and local programs invest millions of dollars each year to support soil health and climate-smart agricultural practices. While several methods for measuring soil health are available, the ability to interpret soil health metrics across regions and agricultural ecosystems remains challenging. There is not yet a nationally scaled framework that incorporates important soil health indicators, soil health principles, and influential variables like climate and soil texture in one model. Here, we introduce SEMWISE, a S tructural E quation M odel for W ell- I nformed S oil E valuation, that was developed from 600 samples across 28 U.S. states representing 52 different crops and grazing lands. SEMWISE incorporates seven soil health indicators (aggregate stability, water capacity, soil organic matter, active carbon, autoclaved-citrate extractable protein, respiration, and quantitative-PCR) into individual and collective ratings that adjust for regional differences in soil clay content and climate, allowing for a widely applicable framework that can detect management responses at local and national scales. Furthermore, we developed the first soil health management index (SHMI) that evaluates the agricultural system using the soil health principles to minimize soil disturbance, increase plant diversity, and provide continuous soil cover and living roots. The SEMWISE and SHMI frameworks were robust, sensitive, and scalable for detection of soil health differences at national and local levels. [Display omitted] • Developed SEMWISE, a SEM framework for national soil health interpretations • SEMWISE indicators adjusted for climate and clay content improve comparability. • Developed a new management system index based on soil health principles • Scoring indices were robust, sensitive to management, and scalable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • - A methdological alternative to handle highly censored As data is developed. • - Higher risk associated with warmer, higher areas with clayey and phosphorus-rich soils. • - Higher As concentrations in Portugal, Spain, Austria, France and Belgium. • - Countries present a non-negligible risk of exceeding the 45 mg/kg limit of action. • - As concentrations exceed background values, but the threshold adopted is uncertain. Arsenic (As) is a versatile heavy metalloid trace element extensively used in industrial applications. As is carcinogen, poses health risks through both inhalation and ingestion, and is associated with an increased risk of liver, kidney, lung, and bladder tumors. In the agricultural context, the repeated application of arsenical products leads to elevated soil concentrations, which are also affected by environmental and management variables. Since exposure to As poses risks, effective assessment tools to support environmental and health policies are needed. However, the most comprehensive soil As data available, the Land Use/Cover Area frame statistical Survey (LUCAS) database, contains severe limitations due to high detection limits. Although within International Organization for Standardization standards, the detection limits preclude the adoption of standard methodologies for data analysis. The present work focused on developing a new method to model As contamination in European soils using LUCAS soil samples. We introduce the GAMLSS-RF model, a novel approach that couples Random Forests with Generalized Additive Models for Location, Scale, and Shape. The semiparametric model can capture non-linear interactions among input variables while accommodating censored and non-censored observations and can be calibrated to include information from other campaign databases. After fitting and validating a spatial model, we produced European-scale As concentration maps at a 250 m spatial resolution and evaluated the patterns against reference values (i.e., two action levels and a background concentration). We found a significant variability of As concentration across the continent, with lower concentrations in Northern countries and higher concentrations in Portugal, Spain, Austria, France and Belgium. By overcoming limitations in existing databases and methodologies, the present approach provides an alternative way to handle highly censored data. The model also consists of a valuable probabilistic tool for assessing As contamination risks in soils, contributing to informed policy-making for environmental and health protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although phosphate ion (hereafter "P") sorption is known to influence clay surface reactivity and trace metal behavior in the environment, there is still a lack of in situ spectroscopic evidence on the identity of phosphate sorption species formed at the interface between solution and clays with a 2:1 layered structure (2 silica tetrahedral: 1 octahedral layers), which are ubiquitous in soils and clay formations. We studied the surface speciation of phosphate ions by in situ spectroscopic monitoring along P sorption at the interface between a solution and a homoionic Na-illite, as a function of time or aqueous phosphate concentration (20–250 µM) leading to low/moderate P surface coverage. We also combined them with batch sorption experiments and electrophoretic mobility (EM) measurements. Macroscopic data indicated that the percentage of P sorption depends on pH, aqueous phosphate concentration, and the clay/solution ratio of the experiment, i.e., the coverage of the clay surface by P, with a maximal sorption capacity of the clay equal to ca. 6 µmol.g−1 at pH 4. Macroscopic and EM data further suggest that P sorption mechanisms onto illite confer negative charges on the surface and involve several sorption species and/or surface sites present on the clay edges. In situ FTIR spectra showed that, at acidic pH, three types of phosphate surface species exist at the illite-solution interface: an outer-sphere surface complex (OSSC) of phosphate (ΞSOH 2 +...H 2 PO 4 -, with S referring to a sorption site on the clay), an inner-sphere surface complex (ISSC) of phosphate, probably a monodentate binuclear surface complex ((ΞSO) 2 PO 2) formed by surface ligand exchange with high-affinity aluminol sites and, to a lesser extent, low-affinity sites on the clay edges, and, in limited amounts, an Al-phosphate surface precipitate. Phosphate ion sorption occurs through the initial formation of the OSSC of phosphate, which dominates phosphate surface speciation at short reaction times and low P concentrations and transforms over time into the ISSC of phosphate. This study presents the first published in situ surface speciation of phosphate ions sorbed at the interface between a solution and an illite. The evidence of a strong sorption of phosphate ions at this clay surface provides new and sound knowledge to better understand the environmental fate of phosphate ions and trace metals, particularly in agricultural soil - groundwater continua or in clay host rocks considered for high-level radioactive waste disposal. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A generalized water retention curve (WRC) model in a wide suction range considering the initial void ratio is presented in this paper. Both capillary and adsorbed water in soil pores are considered. Based on the experimental results that the adsorbed water content w a is not dependent on the initial void ratio, a new degree of saturation equation of adsorbed water is established. Meanwhile, a new degree of saturation equation of capillary water at various initial void ratios is proposed with a void ratio-related expression of the air entry value. Compared to Lu's model, only one parameter b is introduced in the established model, which can be easily calibrated using WRCs under two initial void ratios. The measured WRC results of 5 soils are used to verify the proposed model in comparison with the other 3 widely used WRC models. The soil used in the model validation covers a wide range of soil types from sandy soil to clay soil, including clayey silty sand, sandy clay till, clayey silt, expansive soil and lateritic soil. The proposed model is well verified for its ability to describe soil water retention characteristics in a wide suction range at various initial void ratios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cracking of clayey soils in seasonally frozen regions is affected by cyclic drying-wetting and freezing-thawing. Understanding the mechanism governing soil cracking behavior is crucial for the construction and long-term operation of infrastructures and earthworks. In this study, a series of laboratory tests were conducted on clayey soils, including freezing-thawing tests and evaporation tests. The evaporation rate and surface cracks evolution were monitored. The cracking mechanism of soils were analyzed. Results show that both the initially unsaturated and oversaturated soils exhibit an increase in evaporation rate with increasing freeze-thaw (FT) cycles in the early stage. Under the same FT and drying conditions, initially unsaturated soils show a higher evaporation rate in the early stage than oversaturated soils, followed by a lower rate after entering the residual stage. In addition, cyclic FT accelerates the propagation of the number of crack segments, surface crack ratio, and total crack length, but weakens the propagation of average crack width. Moreover, it was found that for initially unsaturated soils, desiccation-induced matrix suction plays a leading role in producing wide, rough, and curved desiccation cracking patterns. While for initially oversaturated soils, freezing-induced ice pressure/cryogenic suction dominates, resulting in short, fine, and straight frost cracking patterns. • Soil desiccation cracking depends on freeze-thaw cycle. • The evaporation rate in the initial stage increases with the number of freeze-thaw cycles. • Initial water contents and the number of freeze-thaw cycles significantly influence the evaporation process. • Evaporation and cracking mechanisms of soil subjected to freeze-thaw and wetting-drying cycles were revealed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public concerns over environmental protection have increased after Fukushima accident. The soil-plant transfer factor (Fv) is a critical parameter for environmental risk assessment. 137Cs Fv values determined in acid Brazilian soils could be two orders of magnitude higher than Fv values measured in soils affected by the Chernobyl accident. This paper studied the behaviour of 90Sr in Brazilian soils where very few 90Sr Fv data is available. All classes of studied soils (Ferralsol, Acrisol and Nitisol) showed that more than 80% of total 90Sr in soils remains potentially mobile, mainly at the bioavailable phase, more than 2 years after soil contamination in an experiment conducted in lysimeters. Higher 90Sr Fv for maize and cabbage was observed in the acid soils with low content of exchangeable Ca, lower Fv values occurred at Nitisol, the subtropical soil type. It seems that the behaviour of 90Sr in these soils are mainly controlled by ionic competition mechanisms occurring for root uptake and sorption sites, with stable Sr and major nutrients (Ca, Mg and K). The mineralogy also seems to play a relevant role, since goethite rich clay soil presented 90Sr Fv values higher one or two orders of magnitude than 90Sr Fv values observed at clayed soil goethite rich with trace of vermiculite, for all studied crops. The high rate of 90Sr migration down the soil profiles observed for the studied soils during the 2 first years after contamination suggests a high rate of transfer to groundwater, even transfer to leafy crop group can be also a relevant pathway. In the present study, maize, among other plant species, presented the lowest Fv values, even when compared with maize cultivated in temperate soil. Our results suggest that stable Sr may not be a very good analogue of 90Sr for determining plant Fv values: geometric mean of stable Sr Fv for maize was Fv maize = 6.3E-1 ± 2.1E0 (n = 8) and for 90Sr was Fv maize = 1.8E-2 ± 2.5E0 (n = 16), geometric mean of stable Sr Fv for cabbage was Fv cabbage = 1.4E0 ± 3.9E0 (n = 17) and for 90Sr was Fv cabbage = 7.9E-1 ± 4.4E0 (n = 18). [Display omitted] • Transfer of 90Sr and stable-Sr was studied in Brazilian soils. • 90Sr in Brazilian soils (Ferralsol, Nitisol, Acrisol) had a high potential mobility. • Mineralogy plays a key role in determining 90Sr availability for plant uptake. • Stable-Sr is not a good analogue for 90Sr plant uptake. • A high rate of 90Sr migration down the soil profile was observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil curling caused by drying is a common phenomenon in nature, and it can vary depending on different atmospheric effects. To investigate the coupled effects of temperature and relative humidity on soil curling, a sequence of desiccation experiments were performed by using elongated strip soil samples in the laboratory. The soil curling process is divided into five stages: vertical settlement stage, lateral contraction stage, concave-up curling stage, curling recovery stage and convex-up curling stage. In this study, the soil evaporation characteristic and curvature curves are obtained under different temperature and relative humidity conditions. The findings revealed that a lower relative humidity results in a higher evaporation rate and a smaller maximum concave-up curling curvature for soil samples. Additionally, as the temperature increased, the water content associated with concave curling decreased. The maximum concave-up curling curvature was determined by the transition from the appearance of concave-up curling to the maximum curvature of concave-up curling. Under the coupled effect of temperature and relative humidity, all the water content associated with the occurrence of concave-up curling, maximum concave-up and convex-up curling appearance are reduced with increasing temperature and decreasing relative humidity. As the temperature ranged from 20 °C to 40 °C, the maximum concave-up curling curvature initially decreased and then increased. Conversely, the maximum concave-up curling curvature increased within the relative humidity range of 30% to 45%. • The evolution of soil curlings under various temperature and RH was investigated. • Both concave-up and convex-up curling occur earlier with increasing temperature. • The curvature of the concave-up curling increases with increasing RH. • Water content at the start of curling decreases with temperature rise and RH drop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the intensification of global warming, the increasing extreme drought climate has seriously threatened the stability of critical geotechnical infrastructure. This study proposes a novel, eco-friendly approach to improve soil resilience to drought climate. In order to verify the feasibility and durability of the proposed approach, a series of simulated climatic wetting-drying (W D) cycles were carried out using four sets of soil specimens treated with different W-OH (an eco-friendly polymer) concentrations. During this period, the water evaporation history, desiccation cracking process, W D cycle durability and microstructure evolution of soil specimens treated with different W-OH concentrations were investigated. The results reveal that the W-OH modification has a significant suppression effect on the whole process of soil evaporation, which can effectively prolong the soil evaporation time of constant rate stage and falling rate stage. The addition of W-OH not only significantly reduces crack ratio, total crack length, and average crack width, but also slows down the crack growth rate. Compared with untreated soil specimen, the treatment with low concentration of W-OH (2% and 4%) can effectively mitigate the formation of desiccation cracks, while the treatment of higher concentration of W-OH (6%) can directly prevent the occurrence of such cracks. The microstructure analysis results indicate that the W-OH can transform the soil structure into a denser state through two ways of bridging and encapsulation, which significantly increases the migration resistance of pore water and improves soil strength properties. This investigation is expected to improve fundamental understanding of soil-atmosphere interactions under eco-friendly polymer modification and provides insights into the potential application of eco-friendly polymer modification in enhancing soil resilience to extreme drought climate. • A novel eco-friendly approach is proposed to improve soil resilience to drought climate. • W-OH modification can significantly suppress the evaporation and crack formation of clayey soil. • This study reveals the fundamental mechanism of eco-friendly polymer for drought mitigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the cyclic freeze-thaw (F-T) effect on crack patterns in saline clayey soil. Samples with different NaCl concentrations (0 M, 1 M, 2 M, and 3 M) are prepared and subjected to cyclic F-T processes. Each cycle involves freezing the samples at a constant temperature of −20 °C for 24 h and thawing at room temperature (21 °C) for 24 h. Additionally, a parallel experiment is conducted to observe the effects of desiccation at room temperature. The weight and surface crack patterns of the samples are continuously monitored. The image processing technique quantifies crack morphology and determines crack area, surface crack ratio, crack width, crack length, and fractal dimension. The results reveal that as the salt concentration increases, the F-T and desiccation samples exhibit decreased crack area and width. This decrease is attributed to the reduced saturation vapor pressure caused by higher salt concentrations, which slows down water evaporation and delays crack formation. The final crack pattern in the F-T samples is closely linked to the initial pattern of ice crystal formation. Lower salt concentrations result in the formation of larger ice crystals, leading to larger cracks during thawing. In the experiment, where the temperature was above the NaCl eutectic point, only ice crystals were formed, and the salt remained isolated as the salt concentration increased in the unfrozen solution. Conversely, during the freezing process, samples with higher salt concentrations with higher unfrozen solution content experience upward movement of the solution due to temperature gradients and water evaporation. This study provides new insights into understanding the soil water and salt movement and the phenomenon of surface clay soil cracking during the freezing-thawing process. • Investigates the cyclic freeze-thaw (F-T) effect on crack patterns in saline clayey soil. • The image processing technique is applied to quantify soil cracks. • The evaporation rate decreased with increased salt content and delayed the appearance of cracks. • Ice crystal size and volume are significant at low salt concentrations. • The unfrozen water content of saline soil is related to the electric double layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Agroforestry complexity and soil texture influence ecosystem service provision. • P and Ca cycling through litter and stable soil carbon stocks are synergistic. • Sandy soils are most suited for complex agroforestry. • Agroforestry Complexity Index encompassing diversity, density and management. Agroforestry systems are often promoted as solutions to address land degradation and climate change. However, agroforestry is an umbrella term for a large variety of systems and it is not clear how their degree of complexity influences their provision of soil-based ecosystem services, such as soil organic carbon (SOC) storage and nutrient cycling. Furthermore, a knowledge gap remains whether agroforestry systems perform equally well on all soil types. The objectives of this study were 1) to assess the links between agroforestry complexity, nutrient cycling and SOC fractions, and 2) to assess how soil texture influences these relationships in Brazilian agroforestry systems. We sampled 59 agroforestry plots across 30 sites in Sao Paulo state, Brazil, and 8 monocrop sites (6 pastures and 2 crop monocultures). The 38 sites represented a soil textural gradient, ranging from very sandy to very clayey (clay content range 25 – 620 g kg−1). An Agroforestry Complexity Index (ACI) was defined based on tree species richness, stem density and pruning management. Nutrient (N, P, K, Ca, Mg) and C contents were determined in litter and soil (0–30 cm depth) samples, and mineral-associated organic C (MAOC) and particulate organic C (POC) in soil samples were assessed as well. ACI was positively associated with C, N, P, Ca and Mg stocks in litter, and these litter nutrients were in turn positively associated with the corresponding soil nutrient stocks. Associations between soil nutrients and MAOC were stronger on sandy soils than on clayey soils, particularly for P, Ca and Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC). For POC, robust relationships with nutrients were only found on sandy soils. Structural Equation Models indicated causal relationships between agroforestry complexity, P and Ca cycling, and MAOC and POC stocks in topsoils. Our results indicate that nutrients effectively cycle from in situ mulch into plant-available soil pools and highlight the synergies between nutrient cycling and stable C stocks that can be achieved in complex agroforestry systems. These synergies seem to be particularly strong on sandy soils (<15 % clay). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To reduce the limitations of the chemical washing method due to soil texture, the freezing technique has been used to enhance the mass transfer efficiency between the eluent and heavy metal contaminants. With the optimized water supplement and cooling conditions, a large-scale model experiment was conducted. Results show that the optimized method is prone to enhancing the eluent intake of clayey soil, leading to an increase in the amount of soil frost heave, which has a feedback effect by breaking the soil structure and enhancing the eluent intake. The synergistic effect of the two is responsible for the improvement of washing efficiency. In addition, after four freeze-thaw and washing cycles, the total removal rates of the metallic elements Pb and Cd reach 58.73% and 69.04%, respectively, satisfying the soil environmental quality standard. The soil bioavailability is effectively reduced by alternating the eluent with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and water, thereby reducing the bioavailability of Pb and Cd by 66.01% and 74.18%, respectively. This remediation strategy for heavy metals in clayey soils utilizes alternate freezing and thawing (natural cold energy) in seasonally frozen regions, which is beneficial for constructing an ecological civilization and protecting the environment. • WSL-GC-CS method for remediation of heavy metal in contaminated clayey soil was proposed. • The new method can solve the problem of poor efficiency for clayey soil in field remediation. • The method can reduce energy consumption and promote sustainable economic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the improved washing efficiency of clayey soil, utilized magnetization technology was used in this study to enhance the physicochemical properties (e.g., viscosity, surface tension, and contact angle) of the eluent. Lead- and cadmium-contaminated clayey soil was used as the research subject in an experimental study aimed to enhance the heavy metal removal efficiency through a magnetized modified eluent and freezing-thawing effect by using EDTA as the eluent. The magnetization test results indicate that the EDTA solution's viscosity, surface tension, and contact angle decrease after magnetization, thus improving the wettability, enhancing the eluent's full contact with heavy metal pollutants, and consequently increasing the removal rate. The results of the freezing–thawing and washing column test show that magnetization reduced the viscosity of eluent, decreased soil seepage or migration resistance, and increased moisture migration during freezing. After three cycles of freezing-thawing and washing, the removal rates for Cd and Pb were 79.35% and 70.38%, respectively. The technology of magnetized eluent is facile to operate and serves as an efficient, cost-effective, and eco-friendly auxiliary method for increasing the efficiency of freezing–thawing–washing processes, offering a novel approach for soil remediation. • The combined magnetization technology and soil washing method for remediation of heavy metal contaminated clay soils is proposed. • Based on enhance the physicochemical properties of the eluent to improve removal efficiency. • To provide basis for remediating heavy metal by magnetization technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The small-strain stiffness of frozen soils is important for the constructions of geotechnical structures in cold regions and artificial ground freezing engineering. The variation in the small-strain shear modulus G max of frozen soils with decreasing temperature T was studied in detail through temperature-controlled bender element tests, and the effect of initial water content w 0 on the changes was detected. A double-upscaling mechanism, involving the compaction of pore ice and bonded contact of solid particles, is proposed to interpret the changes in G max and then a predicted model of G max is proposed. In this model, the void ratio e and cryogenic suction ψ in frozen soils are the indictors of the double-upscaling mechanism, which can be determined for frozen soils with any T and initial water content w 0 with the assistance of SFCC and the Clapeyron equation. The void ratio function and suction function on G max incorporated in this model are borrowed or slightly revised from the models for unsaturated soils reported in several relevant literature sources. The good performance of model is found via our own tests and two independent experimental datasets on two frozen clays, and the comparison results show that the predicted results are in reasonable agreement with the measured data. • Bender element tests were conducted to investigate the frozen fine-grained soils. • The effect of initial water content and temperature on soil's stiffness are analyzed. • Proposing a dual upscaling mechanism: pore ice compaction, solid particles bonded. • A predicted model is proposed to estimate frozen soil's small-strain shear modulus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Red clay, a widely distributed soil, weakens significantly when exposed to water. This poses challenges for using it as a foundation for urban infrastructure, as rainwater scouring, infiltration, and external loads can cause uneven settlement and landslides, compromising structural integrity. To address this issue, we propose the use of a green highly permeable water-soluble polyurethane material (PSP) as an alternative to conventional curing agents. We conducted a series of tests to evaluate the efficacy of PSP in improving the mechanical properties of red clay. Acoustic emission tests were used to examine the failure mode of PSP-stabilized red clay, while scanning electron microscopy provided microscopic insights into clay stabilization mechanisms. The triaxial test results establish empirical relationships between strength, stiffness, toughness, and control parameters (PSP content, moisture content, and confining pressure) of the stabilized clay. We found that PSP-stabilized soils exhibit ductile failure and strain hardening, with PSP curing agents effectively enhancing clay strength and stiffness within a 3-day curing period. Univariate analysis reveals positive correlations between peak energy absorption values, peak stress rates, and PSP content, while showing a negative correlation with moisture content. Confining pressure variations have relatively little effect on peak stress ratios of PSP soils, and PSP soil stiffness minimally influences confining pressure as PSP content increases. Importantly, PSP treatment significantly increases ductility compared to untreated clay soils, distinguishing PSP soils from hydric soils. • Microscopic strengthening mechanism of PSP-treated red clay soils. • The relationship between failure mode, mechanical properties, PSP content and moisture content is analyzed. • The empirical formulas for estimating peak stress, initial tangent modulus and failure ratio are established. • A solution for the rapid trenchless curing of clay is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrogen oxides (NO x = NO + NO 2) are important atmospheric pollutants that are directly harmful to human health. Recently in urban and industrial areas, synthetic materials have been developed and deployed to photocatalytically oxidize NO x to nitrate (NO 3 −) in order to improve air quality. We show that the natural presence of small amounts (≤5%) of titanium oxides, such as anatase and rutile, can also drive NO x oxidation to nitrate in soils under UV–visible irradiation. The NO uptake coefficients ranged between 0.1 × 10−6 for sandy soils to 6.4 × 10−5 in the case of tropical clay soils; the latter comparable in efficiency to current industrial man-made catalysts. This photocatalytic N -fixation mechanism offers a new strategy for NO x mitigation from the atmosphere by transforming it into nitrate, and simultaneously provides an energy efficient source of essential fertilizer to agriculture. [Display omitted] • Photocatalytic NO x fixation by soils could be a mechanism to reduce air pollution. • Low Ti oxides (<5%) in some soils match pure TiO 2 for photocatalysis. • Atmospheric models should include this abiotic renoxification route. • This mechanism could be a source of NO 3 − for plants. • Sustainable strategies in agriculture could benefit from NOx fixation by soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Expansive soils exhibit excessive volume increases upon contact with water, which can pose a serious threat to stability of structures and foundations. Therefore, it is essential to determine the swelling properties, e.g. maximum swelling pressure, of these problematic soils. We employed a feed-forward neural network algorithm trained with Levenberg–Marquardt, Bayesian regularization, scaled conjugate gradient, and genetic algorithm to build a network model capable of determining the maximum swelling pressure of clayey soils over a wide range of conditions. The models were developed based on a sufficiently large experimental dataset that takes into account key factors that influence the soil swelling. The results show that the feed-forward neural network algorithm trained with Bayesian regularization has the highest overall accuracy, as its predictions agree well with the experimental data. Besides, a simplified network model was developed to be used in cases of limited data availability. The developed model provides accurate predictions over a wide range of conditions and can serve as a valuable tool for researchers and engineers dealing with expansive soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small-strain stiffness is a fundamental soil property described by the normalized shear modulus (G / G max ) and maximum shear modulus (G max). Though numerous experiments and empirical models were developed to predict the small-strain stiffness based on soil status and properties, accuracy was still a challenging issue to achieve due to the various soil types and complex conditions. This study developed an ensemble machine learning approach using Random Forest and XGBOOST models to improve prediction accuracy. The experimental equipment and database development process were described. The structure of the XGBOOST model using a Bayesian Optimization was proposed to optimize hyperparameters. The results of the comparison indicated that the ensemble machine learning approach had a higher accuracy of prediction than the empirical models. The variable importance analysis identified water content as one of the key factors influencing the prediction of G / G max and G max. For the prediction of G / G max , the void ratio might not be the primary soil property influencing the prediction for clay and sandy soils. Finally, a design procedure based on the ensemble machine learning approach with regression analysis using theoretical formulas was proposed to estimate the small-strain stiffness of soil for the convenience of design engineers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the paper is to simulate the response of a deep excavation supported by sheet pile walls and lime-cement columns. The application of the deep mixing technique using lime-cement products in deep excavations changes the initial state of the natural soil and creates substantial displacements associated with the installation effects. In this paper, the influence of lime-cement stabilisation was investigated using the finite element method for an instrumented braced excavation. The 2D finite element analyses were performed with advanced constitutive models for both natural clay and stabilised soil, exploiting the laboratory test made on both field mixed and laboratory mixed stabilised clay samples. The numerical results show that taking account of installation effects provides realistic predictions of deformation, excess pore water pressure evolution, as well as the structural forces in the struts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cracking is a common phenomenon in clayey soils under soil-atmosphere interaction. It strongly promotes water evaporation and further affects thermo-hydro-mechanical behavior and engineering properties of soils. In this study, a new numerical approach is proposed to simulate water evaporation in cracked soils. The new approach divides the cracked soil into two domains: the soil domain follows a coupled hydro-thermal approach and the air domain follows Fick's law. The boundary conditions of the two domains are identified by the vapor flux with a suction-related evaporation model. Two sets of numerical tests are performed to examine the effects of air humidity and segmentation method on soil evaporation rate and volumetric water content profile versus time. Results reveal that soil water content near soil surface and soil crack surface decreases more rapidly. The more segments of crack surface are conducted, the more realistically it can reflect the variation of crack surface evaporation in depth, but it will increase the computational burden. Air humidity does affect the rate of evaporation and the larger the relative humidity, the lower evaporation rate. Furthermore, the presented numerical approach provides a benchmark for a satisfactory description of water evaporation from a clayey soil with cracks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Soil texture effect in temperate grassland region of China is examined. • A strong inverse soil texture effect on vegetation is evidenced. • Loam soil can be used as a benchmark to quantify effect of various textured soils. • Precipitation threshold for inverse texture effect increases with soil coarseness. The inverse texture effect of soil on vegetation has been reported in a few arid regions, but no information is available on the vast Chinese temperate grassland. In addition, no consistent criteria and approaches have been used to classify soil texture groups, determine the precipitation threshold (P θ) below which the inverse texture effect occurs, and quantify the effect size (Z), which has limited the generalization of the rules of the soil texture effect in different ecosystems. We analyzed the soil texture effect on vegetation using the remotely sensed vegetation data (MODIS/NDVI) and the Chinese soil profile texture data at 6851 sites in temperate grasslands of China. We found, first, a strong inverse texture effect, i.e., a higher NDVI on coarse- (>50 % sand) than fine-textured soil in low precipitation areas, and P θ was variable with annual precipitation and averaged 260 mm in the region. Second, we proposed a novel method to use the loam soil as a benchmark against which to quantify the effect of various textured soils, and determine P θ as the point on precipitation gradient where the soil texture effect shift from positive to negative or vice versa. As such, P θ decreased with soil coarseness, and increased with precipitation; and the texture effect decreased from positive to negative for sandy soils, whereas it increased from negative to positive for silt or clay soils, on the gradient of precipitation increase. Our results provide new insights into the relations of vegetation pattern and dynamics with precipitation and soil texture, and a method for quantifying and comparing soil texture effect across ecosystem types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Soil temperature temporal variations are in-phase with heat fluxes 10-cm deeper. • Moisture depression occurs in the seasonally frozen soil. • Spatiotemporal heterogeneity of moisture is stronger than that of temperature. • Strong thermohydraulic coupling exists in cold season, but not in warm season. • Zero curtain occurs in both dry and wet soils and varies from region to region. Frozen soil properties and thermohydraulic processes are still not fully understood due to lack of in-situ measurements, especially in the high altitudes and high latitudes (HAHL). Based on hourly measurements at 10, 40, 80 and 120 cm depths at 21 sites in the west, south and northeast regions of the Tibetan Plateau (TP) during July 2018 - July 2019, we examined soil particles, spatiotemporal variations of soil thermohydraulic processes and their connections with environmental factors to reveal the heterogenous frozen soil properties on the TP. Sand and silt are the dominant soil particles and clay is less than 10% at the sites. Existing and widely used soil products underestimates (significantly overestimates) sand (clay) content on the TP which raises the uncertainty in the thermohydraulic parameters derived from these products. Diurnal soil moisture and temperature variations are seen only above 40 cm, but seasonal variations occur down to 120 cm due to the soil memory effect. Seasonally frozen soil and permafrost soil show different freezing and melting processes. Dry soil features greater soil temperature temporal variability and deeper maximum frozen depth than wet soil. Zero curtain occurs in both dry and wet soil, and displays high (low) frequency but short (long) duration at 10 (80) cm that vary spatially. Moisture depression exists in seasonally frozen soil and is determined by the initial soil moisture and temperature gradient strength. The strong thermohydraulic coupling existed in cold season collapses in warm season. Soil moisture exhibits higher spatiotemporal variability than soil temperature. At daily time scale, the influences of precipitation, wind speed and relative humidity on soil moisture and temperature vary under different climate conditions. These findings fill the knowledge gaps in the soil thermohydraulic processes in the HAHL, and improve the understanding of frozen soil properties and heat-water coupling processes in soil in the HAHL. The study will benefit the Earth system model development and improve the quality of soil temperature and moisture assimilation and remote sensing products in the HAHL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Traditional methods for soil specific surface area (SSA) are costly and laborious. • We propose models to estimate SSA from a single hygroscopic water content (w h) • Separate SSA models are developed for soil samples grouped by clay mineralogy. • Considering soil clay mineralogy in SSA models significantly improved performance. • Models based on w h were superior to models based on texture, carbon or CEC. The soil specific surface area (SSA) is an important variable for soil science and geoenvironmental engineering applications, but traditional measurement methods are difficult and time-consuming. Regression models or pedotransfer functions are often used to estimate SSA from other soil properties (e.g., clay content and cation exchange capacity), but these models do not consider the impact of clay mineralogy. Hygroscopic water content (w h) is intimately linked to these soil properties, which suggests that w h may be a better parameter for SSA estimation. This study (i) proposes regression models that estimate SSA from w h at different relative humidity values (5 to 90%) for kaolinite-rich samples (KA), illite-rich or mixed clay samples (IL/MC), montmorillonite-rich samples (ML), and a combination of all samples (ALL) and (ii) compares the performance of the w h models to other published models that comprise clay, silt and soil organic carbon contents and cation exchange capacity. We found that the sample-specific w h regression models accurately estimated SSA for KA, IL/MC and ML samples. For KA and IL/MC samples, the performance of the KA model (e.g., for adsorption, average RMSE = 10.5 m2/g) and IL/MC model (average RMSE = 21.3 m2/g) were better than the ALL-calibration model (KA: average RMSE = 18.7 m2/g; ML: average RMSE = 22.4 m2/g). For ML samples, similar model performance between the ML-calibration model (average RMSE = 41.4 m2/g) and the ALL-calibration model (average RMSE = 41.1 m2/g) was observed. In addition, the model performance of regression models based on w h was superior to models published in the literature that are based on clay, silt and soil organic carbon contents and cation exchange capacity. Overall, this study confirms that a single measure of w h can provide reliable estimates of the SSA while revealing a significant impact of clay mineralogy on model performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The freeze-thaw (F-T) cycle is a common weathering process that often occurs in cold climates, and it can deteriorate the mechanical performance of the subgrade soil, leading to pavement failure and economic loss. Plastic wastes have been adopted as a soil reinforcement element to improve the geotechnical properties and stability of expansive clay soils used as subgrade material. Previous research has mainly focused on the application of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic waste to soil reinforcement under ambient temperature, but few studies have investigated the geotechnical performance of expansive clay soils reinforced with PET plastic waste under freeze-thaw conditions for pavement subgrade application. Moreover, there is a lack of knowledge on the dynamic properties of expansive clays modified with PET plastics exposed to the F-T process. This study conducted a series of mechanical experiments, including repeated load triaxial tests and unconfined compressive strength tests, for the first time to investigate the mechanical performance of expansive clay soil reinforced with different percentages of PET strips (i.e., 0, 1, 1.5, and 2% by the weight of dry soil) after being exposed to 0, 2, 5, and 8 F-T cycles. The experimental results showed that the F-T process significantly reduced the compressive strength and resilient modulus. However, the compressive strength and resilient modulus of the PET strips-reinforced samples were higher than those of the unreinforced samples after F-T cycles. The optimum content of PET strips was found to be 1% by weight of dry soil, as it exhibited the highest strength and stiffness under various F-T cycles. • Effects of F-T cycles on expansive clay soil reinforced with PET strips were investigated. • Incorporating PET strips enhanced the strength and stiffness of the expansive clay. • The inclusion of 1% PET strips was found as the optimum content. • Reinforcing clay with PET strips can be an environmentally friendly solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different types of soil water, such as bound water and capillary water, have distinct effects on the physicochemical and engineering properties of soils, particularly unsaturated clayey soils. Therefore, it is crucial to develop an accurate and physically meaningful experimental method for identifying and quantifying these components. This study pioneers the use of a multi-step kinetic model to identify and quantify different soil water components across a wide range of relative humidity (RH) using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) data. To validate the determined kinetic parameters (i.e., activation energy, preexponential factor, and reaction model) and the identification and quantification results of soil water components, TGA with multiple heating rates, nitrogen adsorption method, cation exchange capacity measurement, and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) were performed on kaolin samples equilibrated under various RH conditions. These experimental results cross-validate the superior performance of the kinetic model in determining soil water components and predicting the thermal desorption behaviors of soil water. Based on the cross-validation results, the soil water components obtained from the kinetic analysis are further identified as tightly-bound, loosely-bound, and capillary water, which exhibit variations consistent with empirical soil water isotherm models. The T 2 cutoff value between bound and capillary water is determined to be 1.79 ms based on TGA and NMR results. The determined thermal kinetic parameters of different soil water components can exhibit their distinct retention mechanisms. The method and results in this study provide a new perspective on identifying different soil water components, as well as understanding the mechanism of soil-water interactions in unsaturated soils. • A method based on thermogravimetric and kinetic analysis is developed to identify and quantify soil water components. • Kinetic model can detect tightly-bound, loosely-bound, and capillary water in kaolin. • Different soil water components exhibit distinct kinetic triplets. • Bound water content increases with humidity regardless of capillary condensation. • NMR T 2 cutoff value between bound and capillary water is 1.79 ms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thermal volumetric behaviour of soils plays a critical role in designing energy geostructures, withstanding temperature fluctuations. This study examined, for the first time, the thermal deformation of the partially saturated kaolin clay (matric suction of 0–300 kPa) within the operating temperature range of energy geostructures (8 °C to 45 °C), subjected to varying most recent stress histories (normal stress of 0–400 kPa). The thermal cycle has been applied to samples with identical hydro-mechanical stress histories initiated by heating or cooling from room temperature. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) tests have been performed to investigate the impact of temperature on soil microstructure as a potential determining mechanism of thermal deformation. The volumetric deformation associated with thermal cycles is analysed, considering the concurrent role of the overconsolidation ratio and the most recent stress. Secondary thermal consolidation (i.e., particle rearrangement) mainly depends on the most recent stress history, occurring only in samples heated beyond the yield limit, with cooling preventing secondary thermal consolidation. A clear relationship between thermal volume change and matric suction was observed, with higher matric suction resulting in less pronounced particle rearrangement. Further SEM analysis revealed that heating beyond the yield limit alters the soil microstructure permanently, with cooling showing no impact. • Thermal behaviour is determined by the most recent stress history, suction, and OCR. • Clayey soils in the loading stage might experience plastic deformations upon heating. • Cooling leads to elastic deformations, regardless of OCR and most recent stress history. • In contrast to cooling, heating permanently changes soil microstructure. • The secondary compression index increases significantly with temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the influence of temperature on the residual strength by analyzing shearing tests carried out in a temperature- and velocity-controlled ring shear apparatus. Temperature was applied in steps of cooling and heating ranging between 6 °C and 50 °C at a constant shearing velocity of 0.442 mm/min. Additional tests include the evaluation of the strength at 0.890 mm/min before and after the imposed temperature change. Six basic soil types characterized by different mineralogy, grain size and plasticity, as well as, mixture soils having different proportions of sand and clay, are evaluated and the results are interpreted in terms of their properties. The experimental results reveal that the temperature effect becomes relevant when fine particles and plasticity increase being negligible in the case of the sandy soil. Shear strength reacts immediately to temperature changes and a new residual strength establishes soon. The temperature effect is symmetric. An increase in temperature leads to a decrease in strength, and an equal and opposite trend is observed when temperature decreases. The magnitude of the strength variation is significant in clayey soils. For the case of high plasticity soils, the residual friction angle variation observed during cooling and heating (±50 °C) is around 2°. The strain rate effect evaluated in a smaller number of tests indicated a strain rate strengthening in all the materials tested except for the case of the sandy soil, which also was not reactive to temperature changes. The experiments are calibrated with a velocity, state, and temperature-dependent friction model. • Influence of temperature on residual shear strength have been characterized. • Heating leads to decrease in friction and cooling leads to an increase for high shearing rates. • Relevance of residual friction change with respect of temperature correlates with the soil plasticity. • No effect of temperature was measured for the clean sand tested. • The friction constitutive model developed by Chester (1994) can reproduce the tests performed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Earth pressure balance shield (EPBS) has become the mainstream construction method for metro tunnels in China, which inevitably generates a large amount of discharged soil, putting enormous pressure on the environment and the cost. In order to realize the resource utilization of shield dregs, this paper explored the feasibility of recycling the waste silty clay as a soil conditioner in EPBS tunnel construction. Mixtures of bentonite, wasted silty clay, carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), and tap water in different ratios were prepared. Defining the substituted ratio as the mass ratio of silty clay to (bentonite + silty clay), the effect of the substituted ratio on the apparent viscosity, flow curve, rheological model and physical stability of bentonite-silty clay composite slurry were investigated. Furthermore, the relationship between slurry microstructures and macroscopic rheological properties was revealed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results show that the constitutive relationship of bentonite slurry (0% substituted ratio) can be well described by Herschel-Bulkley model. The silty clay has a deteriorating effect on the rheological behavior and physical stability, and changes the flow pattern of the composite slurry. Microscopically, CMC makes the clay particles in slurries form agglomerates with larger particle sizes, and can absorb excess free water from the slurry, thus significantly increasing the yield stress and apparent viscosity. The recycling scheme proposed in this study can not only greatly reduce the procurement cost of raw materials, but also eliminate the transportation and disposal costs of discharged soil, which has significant environmental benefits and promising application prospects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Expansive soils have been inevitable during road constructions due to its widespread availability. Conventional stabilizers; cement and lime have not been quite reliable in terms of economic, environmental, and durability perspectives. Thus, geopolymer has come into limelight as a sustainable alternative. However, the complexity of geopolymer-soil behaviour makes it challenging to predict their strength development patterns and it requires a large number of trial and error tests in laboratory scale due to the soil specific nature of such mixes. To date, no research has been attempted to develop design charts for geopolymer-expansive soil stabilization field applications. This study proposes design charts using Artificial neural networks (ANN) to predict the 28-day unconfined compressive strength (UCS) of Class F fly ash (FA) based geopolymer stabilized expansive soil (PI = 32% – 46%) to support field implementation of this novel geopolymer based soil stabilization. The model was developed based on a robust collection of literature data; FA/Soil, Activator/FA, Na 2 SiO 3 /NaOH, alkaline molarity, and their respective 28-day UCS values. Three contour plots for mix design: FA/soil vs. NaOH molarity, activator/FA vs. Na 2 SiO 3 /NaOH, and Na 2 SiO 3 /NaOH vs. NaOH molarity were proposed based on the model predictions. The proposed mix design charts were validated through the in-house tests which showed reasonable match in comparison with the predicted 28-day UCS using the contour plots. The proposed mix design charts can be employed for in-situ geopolymer-expansive subgrade stabilization to achieve strengths between 0.6 and 2.1 MPa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-scale evidence of rapid, climate-induced soil structural changes occurring at yearly to decadal timescales is mounting. As a result, it has become increasingly important to identify the properties and mechanisms controlling the development and maintenance of soil structure and associated macroporosity. This is especially relevant since macroporosity has disproportionate effects on saturated hydraulic conductivity (K sat) which strongly influences water storage and flux, thus, affecting the water cycle. In this study, we use decision trees and piecewise linear regression to assess the influence of soil and climate properties on effective porosity (EP; a proxy of macroporosity) in both surface and subsurface horizons under varying land-use and management practices. Data from 1,491 pedons (3,679 horizons) spanning five ecoregions representing bioclimate (e.g., potential vegetation) across the conterminous US demonstrate that, at a continental scale, EP in surface (A) and subsurface (B) horizons is strongly dependent on the complexed fraction of the total mass of soil organic carbon (SOC) and clay; a combined fraction that we refer to as complexed organic carbon and clay (COCC). EP showed a slight positive response to COCC in A horizons but increased steeply with increasing COCC in B horizons. This is because the smaller values of COCC in B horizons reflect a larger pool of clay that has a greater potential to accommodate and complex additions of SOC promoting stronger organo-mineral bonds and the concomitant development and maintenance of soil structure in these horizons. In contrast, larger values of COCC in A horizons reflect conditions where all or most of the clay fraction is effectively complexed with SOC resulting in a larger pool of non-complexed soil organic matter with varying contrasting effects on macroporosity that ultimately mute the response of EP to increases in COCC. In surface horizons, indirect factors such as mean annual precipitation and land use were important predictors of EP, whereas COCC was more influential in controlling EP within the subsoil. The EP-COCC relationship also holds within ecoregions but its effect is mitigated by soil and climate interactions suggesting that the effect of climate on this relationship is indirect and complex. Plowed surface horizons and horizons underlying plowed layers showed greater homogenization (due to disturbance effects reducing heterogeneity in the soil) as well as a reduction in the magnitude and rate of change of EP as a function of COCC compared to undisturbed horizons. Our findings suggest that the complexed fraction of clay and SOC is important for controlling macroporosity and K sat at ecoregion scales and that the EP-COCC relationship may be an important framework for understanding and predicting future land use- and climate-induced changes in soil hydraulic properties. • Effective porosity (EP) depends on complexed organic carbon and clay (COCC). • The nature of the EP-COCC relationship changes for A and B horizons and land use. • Large A horizon SOC contents saturate clay sites muting the effect of COCC on EP. • B horizons contain more clay which is able to complex greater amounts of SOC. • EP and soil hydraulic properties are more impacted by SOC content in the subsurface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unraveling the distributions and controls of soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) accumulation is conducive to providing guidance for sustainable ecosystem management. Although the factors that affect soil C and N accumulation have been widely investigated, the relative importance of these factors and whether they confer direct or indirect effects remain unclear. Herein, we examined the distributions of soil organic carbon (SOC), soil inorganic carbon (SIC), and total nitrogen (TN) stocks across the 0–200 cm soil profiles in grasslands, forestlands, and shrublands on the Loess Plateau. Moreover, we determined the relative contributions of land use, topography, and soil properties (texture, water, phosphorus, and available nitrogen) to their variations. The results showed that with increasing soil depth, SOC and TN stocks decreased, while SIC stocks fluctuated. However, large amounts of SOC, SIC, and TN were stored in the deep soil layers (100–200 cm), with values of 3.06, 26.63, and 0.50 kg/m2, respectively. In the 0–200 cm soil layers, the total SIC stock was 53.40 kg/m2 and was 6.8 times higher than the total SOC stock. Among different plant communities, grasslands had the highest SIC stock (54.83 kg/m2), while Armeniaca sibirica and Robinia pseudoacacia had the highest SOC stock (10.06 kg/m2) and TN stock (1.49 kg/m2), respectively. Furthermore, approximately 85% of the variations in SOC, SIC, and TN stocks were jointly affected by land use, topography, and soil properties, in which soil properties acted as the most important driving factors, followed by topography and land use. In particular, topography affected SOC, SIC, and TN stocks mainly through its effects on soil texture and water. Overall, vegetation restoration scenarios incorporating grasslands and Robinia pseudoacacia are highly recommended and should be tailored according to specific topographic features. • SIC stock was 6.8 times higher than SOC stock in the 0–200 cm soil layers. • Grasslands performed better in soil C accumulation than forests and shrubs. • Land use, soil property, and topography explained 80% of the changes in C and N. • Land use played a less important role in affecting C and N than topography. • Topography affected soil C and N accumulation by influencing soil clay and water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil with persistent macroaggregates should maintain its integrity following wetting disturbance. This study determined how wetting-drying cycles affect two pre-sieved macroaggregate size fractions (2–4 mm and 0.6–2 mm) of clay and organic soils pretreated with organic carbon substrates. Soil aggregates were unamended or treated with organic carbon (4 g C from soluble glucose or insoluble wheat straw per kg soil) before being exposed, during three months of incubation, to nine sequential wettings at three wetting intensities (no wetting, slow wetting at the rate of 1 g of water per second or fast wetting with 2 g water per second). The glucose-treated macroaggregates from the clay soil were minimally disturbed by wetting-drying cycles, maintained their shape (shown by high aggregate circularity and low major/minor axis ratio) and were more cohesive, possibly because of a higher microbial activity provided by the glucose treatment. In contrast, the clay soil macroaggregates mixed with wheat straw, which had the same carbon content as glucose, did not persist when exposed to wetting-drying cycles. Macroaggregates from organic soil resisted nine wetting events with or without glucose addition, implying a distinct aggregate binding mechanism in organic soil compared to the clay soil. The persistence of clay soil macroaggregates treated with glucose may be related to microbial processes that promote macroaggregate stability, with glucose physical adhesion expected to substantially improve aggregate stabilization in this mineral soil as well. Glucose-mediated aggregate stabilization can apparently persist for many weeks in an environment with recurring wetting-drying cycles. • Macroaggregates from clay soil disintegrated with 9 repeated wetting events. • Macroaggregates from organic soil resisted 9 wetting events during 3 months. • Glucose improved the persistence of clay soil macroaggregates to repeated wetting. • Glucose maintained aggregate morphology and improved aggregate stabilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Weathering paths and soil depth serve as a first order control of soil organic carbon. • Soil deeper than 100 cm, can store significant portions of the total SOC stock. • SOC stock and poorly crystalline mineral concentrations peak in soil <30 cm at 30 kyr. Characterizing the distribution and dynamics of organic carbon in soil is critical for quantifying changes in the global carbon cycle. In particular, weathering controls on near-surface and deep (>1 m) soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics have been proposed but limited data prevents us from predicting SOC over topographically complex landscapes and quantifying how changes in climate and perturbations, such as wildfire or land management, influence SOC stocks. To advance our understanding of how weathering alters soil geochemistry and influences SOC storage, we synthesize previous data with a new analysis of the Siuslaw River soil chronosequence from terraces in the Oregon Coast Range, a region that harbors the richest SOC inventories in the continental US. We analyze how the relationships between soil geochemistry, physical properties, and SOC storage vary with weathering status and pathways across soils that span 0.041 to 990 kyr and vary in depth from 1 m to >10 m. To distinguish the key properties and processes influencing SOC storage at different depths, we break our analysis into three depth intervals: 0–30, 30–100, and >100 cm. Our results suggest that the processes that control SOC stocks vary systematically with time and depth owing to weathering impacts on soil properties and pedogenic development. At 30 kyr we observe a peak in SOC stock in the top 100 cm coincident with a peak in oxalate extractable Al and Fe concentrations, representing secondary poorly crystalline minerals, which is consistent with previous studies. We also observe a decline in shallow SOC stock for >30 kyr soils as poorly crystalline minerals are replaced by more stable crystalline forms and soils become clay dominated. At 120 kyr, SOC below 100 cm starts to contribute significantly to the total SOC profile inventory and by 990 kyr, this fraction composes >40% of the total SOC stock. Taken together, our results indicate that total SOC stock increases with soil age as the increased intensity of bedrock weathering deepens the critical zone, creating accommodation space for deep SOC storage. These findings reveal the intimate link between poorly crystalline minerals and SOC and suggest that systematic analysis of soil development in the critical zone provides a first-order constraint on SOC stocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Nematode abundance increased with aggregate size. • Soil type shifted nematode community composition by aggregate size. • Clay soils fostered more k-strategist nematodes compared to silt-loam soils. • Tillage had no impact on nematode distribution by aggregate size. • Predator-prey dynamics drive soil C accumulation in larger aggregates. Soil aggregates are critical for soil carbon (C) sequestration and serve as a habitat for microorganisms, including free-living nematodes. Yet, the interactions between nematode community composition and soil C cycling across aggregate fractions is rarely assessed. The objectives of this study were to 1) determine how soil type alters nematode community dispersal across aggregate fractions, 2) understand how soil type may alter the relationship between nematode communities and labile C pools, and 3) assess the impact that tillage intensity has on nematode community assemblage across aggregate fractions. Soil cores were taken at two identical long-term trials located in Ohio (silt loam vs. clay). Each trial compared two different tillage intensities (chisel till vs. no-till). Soils were fractionated into three aggregate fractions (>2000 μm, 2000–250 μm, and <250 μm). For each fraction, nematode communities were identified to feeding group and permanganate oxidizable carbon (POXC) was measured. Results indicated that silt loam soils had greater bacterivore nematodes in the >250 μm aggregate fraction (p < 0.05) and relatively lower predator-omnivore nematode proportions when compared to clay soils. Tillage did not have a significant effect on nematode feeding groups. Correlation analyses revealed that predator-omnivore nematodes and POXC were positively correlated in clay soils, but only in the largest aggregate fraction (p < 0.05). Bacterivore nematodes were positively correlated with POXC in clay soils but negatively correlated in silt loam soils (p < 0.05). These findings reveal that predator-prey dynamics likely drive soil C accumulation in larger sized aggregates. Moreover, shifts in nematode community composition by soil type demonstrates how inherent properties influence soil food web structure and ultimately, soil C cycling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Manure had little effect on water vapour sorption isotherms (WSIs) in clayey soil. • Improvement in soil WSIs by manure varied with crop type in silty and sandy soils. • Permanent grass had the most positive effect on soil WSIs. • Improvement in soil WSIs by crop rotation varied with soil texture. • Multiple linear regression models based on soil properties well estimated WSIs. Increasing studies indicate that long-term experiments (LTEs) involving manure application and optimal cropping systems can significantly improve soil physicochemical properties, which may also affect the soil water retention curve (WRC) in the wet region (pF < 4.2). However, few studies have explored the effect of long-term manure application and cropping systems on soil WRC in the dry region (water vapour sorption isotherms, WSIs) (pF > 4.2) as well as the associated soil physicochemical properties. To overcome this knowledge gap, we investigated the effect of long-term manure application (24 to 177 years) and different cropping systems (71 to 82 years) on soil organic carbon (SOC) content, WSIs, hysteresis, and specific surface area (SSA). Soil samples were collected from five long-term manure experiments in Sweden, the United Kingdom, Spain, Germany, and Denmark, and two long-term cropping systems experiments in the United Kingdom. The five manure LTEs comprised three soil textures (silty clay, silt loam, and sandy loam) with one to four crops grown in the fields, including wheat, barley, maize, and grass/clover. The cropping system LTEs comprised silt loam and sandy loam including bare fallow (BF), arable rotation, ley–arable rotation, and permanent grass. Results showed that long-term manure application increased SOC content in each site, but it had little effect on the soil WSIs, hysteresis, and SSA in silty clay soils. The changes of soil WSIs, hysteresis, and SSA in silt loam and sandy loam arising from manure application largely depend on the crops grown in the field. For the long-term cropping systems experiments, permanent grass had the most significant effect in increasing SOC content, soil WSIs in silt loam and sandy loam, and hysteresis and SSA in silt loam compared to other treatments. Compared to BF, arable rotation and ley-arable rotation had no effect on SOC and soil WSIs in silt loam, and on hysteresis and SSA in silt loam and sandy loam. Multiple linear regression models including SOC, clay, and silt contents sufficiently explained the variabilities observed in the soil WSIs, hysteresis, and SSA for both manure and cropping systems LTEs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil pores play a critical role in the complex physical coupling process and are closely associated with the mechanism of soil salinization. This research used mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and laser particle size analysis on a soil profile about 230 cm deep in Qian'an, where soda saline–alkali soil is distributed and the deepest underground freezing depth is 180 cm. The material composition of the soil in active layer was identified, and the soil pores were classified as micropores (<0.04 μm), small pores (0.04–0.4 μm), mesopores (0.4–4 μm), and macropores (>4 μm). The soil deposited at a depth of 0 to 80 cm was affected by freeze–thaw cycles and dry–wet cycles, developing longitudinal cracks. During the rainy season, clay particles and salt were carried downward by rainfall, whereas at a depth of 30 to 80 cm, the exchangeable sodium ions and clay particles in the soil created a thick diffused layer and hindered rainfall infiltration, resulting in salt accumulation. The small pore diameter and low porosity of the soil in this depth range caused pores degradation, further exacerbating the salinization process. The soil deposited at a depth of 80 to 120 cm had low clay content, resulting in limited upward migration of unfrozen water during freezing periods. Upon thawing, the salt and fine clay particles moved upward with capillary water, leading to a lower salt content than the upper soil. Additionally, this depth range had a high content of macropores with a large average pore diameter. The soil deposited at a depth of 120 to 180 cm had high clay content, and during short freezing periods, salt migrated upwards with unfrozen water along poorly connected longitudinal cracks with limited clay particle migration. The macropore content was low, and the average pore diameter was small due to clay particles filling the pores. The salt content in this depth range was lower than in the upper soil. The pore structure characteristics of the saline soil in the active layer provide insights into salt deposition mechanisms, and this research offers data support from a pore-scale perspective for preventing the salinization process. • A salt accumulation layer is identified at certain ground depth. • The influence of soil material composition on pore structure is bidirectional. • The magnitude of the water absorption gradient is related to the freezing duration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding wave propagation across rock joints is of great importance in rock engineering, petroleum engineering, and other geophysical applications. Previous studies have shown that wave behaviours across filled rock joints are highly affected by the properties of filling materials. However, how clay minerals and water saturation of the infilling affect wave attributes across filled rock joints is still poorly understood. In this study, ultrasonic tests were conducted on kaolinite- and bentonite-filled rock joints to investigate the roles of clay minerals and the water saturation of infillings on elastic P-wave behaviours across individual filled rock joints. The test results show that the infilling's water saturation and mineralogical compositions have combined effects on P-wave signatures of single rock joints filled with clayey soils. Particularly, for the kaolinite-filled rock joint, P-wave velocity and attenuation first increase and then slightly decline with the increasing water saturation. By contrast, for the bentonite-filled rock joint, an increase in water saturation causes gradual decreases in velocity and attenuation. The integrated interpretation of the experimental results indicates that the difference in heterogeneity saturation due to clay hydration is the first-order reason for the discrepancies in saturation-dependent P-wave attributes between kaolinite- and bentonite-filled rock joints. The findings of this study can help further understand wave propagation and attenuation across rock joints filled with fluid-saturated clayey soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Variations in soil radon concentrations are a potential precursor of earthquake and volcanic events. However, the unclear migration and variation mechanisms of radon concentrations in soil still limit its effective application. To elucidate the temporal variation and its possible influence factors on radon concentrations at different soil depths, a case study was performed at a suburban site in Beijing. A long-term continuous measurement system consisting of ten radon-in-soil monitors at depths from 0.1 to 5.0 m and other meteorological sensors was employed. The monitoring was carried out from January 8th to July 29th, 2022, covering 3445 h in total. Radon concentrations generally increased with soil depth. Diurnal variation of soil radon concentrations at depths of 1.2 and 1.6 m in winter and spring was observed, and a negative correlation between the soil radon concentration and the residual air pressure was found. This finding indicates a possible air exchange channel between the soil and the atmosphere at the study site. In addition, the soil radon concentration at 4.0 m depth was unexpectedly lower than that of neighboring depths and was steady throughout the measurement period. This is attributed to a possible clay layer in the soil structure at 4.0 m depth. The results of this field study indicate that the complexity of temporal variation of soil radon concentrations should be considered for its application in predicting earthquake and volcanic events. • Continuous monitoring of radon concentrations in ten soil depths to 5.0 m. • Bi-periodic diurnal variation of radon concentrations at 0.8–3.0 m depth. • Negative correlation between radon concentration and air pressure. • Air exchange channel between soil and atmosphere might exist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Temperature has a significant effect on the bulk electrical conductivity (σ b) of soils because fluid properties, such as viscosity, which affect σ b , are functions of temperature. The governing mechanisms between pore water conduction (K w) and surface conduction (K s) in terms of temperature dependency are completely different. Thus, soils with a higher relevance of K s can exhibit a different temperature dependency of σ b when compared to K w -dominant soils. Therefore, in this study, we aim to determine the temperature compensation parameter (α) of σ b of soils as a function of the ratio of K s to σ b. Silica sand and kaolin clay were selected as the K w - and K s -dominant materials, respectively. The electrical conductivity of tested materials with varying initial porosities and pore fluid concentrations was measured as a function of temperature in the range of 10 °C to 50 °C. The results of this study showed that K w -dominant soils have an α value of approximately 2%/°C, whereas the α value of K s -dominant soils ranges from 1%/°C to 2%/°C as a function of porosity and pore water conductivity. The experimentally determined α value was compared with the α value calculated from the theoretical series–parallel model. Additionally, an empirical model to capture the α value of soils with varying magnitudes of K s and K w was suggested. Finally, the suggested model was verified using the results of Korean residual soil (i.e., clayey sand) and two other clayey soils (i.e., kaolin and ca-bentonite clays). • Electrical conductivity (EC) of sand and clay was measured according to temperature. • Experimental results were compared with the theoretical series-parallel model. • Surface conduction-dominant soils show different temperature dependency of EC. • A model for temperature compensation parameter is newly suggested. • The suggested model accuracy was verified using the data of other three soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]