To investigate the coupled time effects of root reinforcement and wet-dry deterioration in herbaceous plant-loess composites, as well as their microscopic mechanisms, this study focused on alfalfa root-loess composites at different growth stages cultivated under controlled conditions. The research included measuring root morphological parameters, conducting wet-dry cycling tests, and performing triaxial compression tests and microscopic analyses (CT scanning and nuclear magnetic resonance) on both bare loess and root-loess composites under various wet-dry cycling conditions. By obtaining shear strength parameters and microstructural indices, the study analyzed the temporal evolution of the shear strength and microstructural characteristics of root-loess composites under wet-dry cycling. The findings indicated that the alfalfa root-loess composite effective cohesion was significantly higher than that of the plain soil in the same growth stage. The alfalfa root-loess composite effective cohesion increased during the growth stage in the same dry-wet cycles. The alfalfa root-loess composite effective cohesion in the same growth stage was negatively correlated with the number of dry-wet cycles. The fatigue damage of the soil's microstructure (pore coarsening, cement hydrolysis, and crack development) increased continuously with the number of dry-wet cycles. However, due to the difference in mechanical properties between roots and the soil, the root-soil composite prevented the deterioration of the soil matrix strength by the dry-wet cycles. As the herbaceous plants grow, the time effect observed in the shear strength of the root-soil composite under the action of dry-wet cycles is the result of the interaction and dynamic coordination between the soil-stabilizing function of the herbaceous plant roots and the deterioration caused by drywet cycles.

Uneven displacement of permafrost has become a major concern in cold regions, particularly under repeated freezing-thawing cycles. This issue poses a significant geohazard, jeopardizing the safety of transportation infrastructure. Statistical analyses of thermal penetration suggest that the problem is likely to intensify as water erosion expands, with increasing occurrences of uneven displacement. To tackle the challenges related to mechanical behavior under cyclic loading, the New Geocell Soil System has been implemented to mitigate hydrothermal effects. Assessment results indicate that the New Geocell Soil System is stable and effective, offering advantages in controlling weak zones on connecting slopes and reducing uneven solar radiation. Consequently, the New Geocell Soil System provides valuable insights into the quality of embankments and ensures operational safety by maintaining displacement at an even level below 1.0 mm. The thermal gradient is positive, with displacement below 6 degrees C/m, serving as a framework for understanding the stability of the subgrade. This system also enhances stress and release the sealing phenomenon.

Freeze-thaw cycles (FTC) influence soil erodibility (K-r) by altering soil properties. In seasonally frozen regions, the coupling mechanisms between FTC and water erosion obscure the roles of FTC in determining soil erosion resistance. This study combined FTC simulation with water erosion tests to investigate the erosion response mechanisms and key drivers for loess with varying textures. The FTC significantly changed the mechanical and physicochemical characteristics of five loess types (P < 0.05), especially reducing shear strength, cohesion, and internal friction angle, with sandy loam exhibiting more severe deterioration than silt loam. Physicochemical indices showed weaker sensitivity to FTC versus mechanical properties, with coefficients of variation below 5 %. Wuzhong sandy loess retained the highest K-r post-FTC, exceeding that of the others by 1.04 similar to 2.25 times, highlighting the dominant role of texture (21.37 % contribution). Under different initial soil moisture contents (SMC), K-r increased initially and then stabilized with successive FTC, with a threshold effect of FTC on K-r at approximately 10 FTC. Under FTC, the K-r variation rate showed a concave trend with SMC, turning point at 12 % SMC, indicating that SMC regulates freeze-thaw damage. Critical shear stress exhibited an inverse response to FTC compared to K-r, displaying lower sensitivity. The established K-r prediction model achieved high accuracy (R-2 = 0.87, NSE = 0.86), though further validation is required beyond the design conditions. Future research should integrate laboratory and field experiments to expand model applicability. This study lays a theoretical foundation for research on soil erosion dynamics in freeze-thaw-affected areas.

This study investigates the microhardness and geometric degradation mechanisms of interfacial transition zones (ITZs) in recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) exposed to saline soil attack, focusing on the influence of supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs). Ten RAC mixtures incorporating fly ash (FA), granulated blast furnace slag (GBFS), silica fume (SF), and metakaolin (MK) at 10 %, 15 %, and 20 % replacement ratios were subjected to 180 dry-wet cycles in a 7.5 %MgSO4-7.5 %Na2SO4-5 %NaCl solution. Key results reveal that ITZ's microhardness and geometric degradation decreases with exposure depth but intensifies with prolonged dry-wet cycles. The FAGBFS synergistically enhances ITZ microhardness while minimizing geometric deterioration, with ITZ's width and porosity reduced to 67.6-69.0 mu m and 25.83 %, respectively. In contrast, FA-SF and FA-MK exacerbate microhardness degradation, increasing porosity and amplifying microcrack coalescence. FA-GBFS mitigates the diffusion-leaching of aggressive/original ions and suppresses the formation of corrosion products, thereby inhibiting the initiation and propagation of microcracks. In contrast, FA-SF and FA-MK promote the formation of ettringite/gypsum and crystallization bloedite/glauberite, which facilitates the formation of trunk-limb-twig cracks.

Expansive soil, characterized by significant swelling-shrinkage behavior, is prone to cracking under wet-dry cycles, severely compromising engineering stability. This study combines experimental and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation approaches to systematically investigate the improvement effects and micromechanisms of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) on expansive soil. First, direct shear tests were conducted to analyze the effects of PVA content (0 %-4 %) and moisture content (30 %-50 %) on the shear strength, cohesive force, and internal friction angle of modified soil. Results show that PVA significantly enhances soil cohesive force, with optimal improvement achieved at 3 % PVA content. Second, wet-dry cycle experiments revealed that PVA effectively suppresses crack propagation by improving tensile strength and water retention. Finally, molecular dynamics simulations uncovered the distribution of PVA between montmorillonite (MMT) layers and its influence on interfacial friction behavior. The simulations demonstrated that PVA forms hydrogen bonding networks, enhancing interlayer interactions and frictional resistance. The improved mechanical performance of PVAmodified soil is attributed to both nanoscale bonding effects and macroscale structural reinforcement. This study provides theoretical insights and technical support for expansive soil stabilization.

In recent years, excessive accumulations of iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), and nitrogen (N) have been observed in the groundwater of agricultural regions, particularly in flood irrigation areas. Nevertheless, the causes of this phenomenon and the associated hydrobiogeochemical processes remain elusive. This study demonstrated that redox fluctuations instigated by flood irrigation triggered a synergistic interaction between the N cycles and the activation of Fe and Mn oxides, thereby resulting in elevated concentrations of Fe, Mn, and N simultaneously. Static experiments revealed that the properties of the topsoil exerted a profound influence on the N induced release of Fe and Mn. The black soil (TFe: 1.5-2.3 times, Mn(II): 1.1-1.5 times, nitrate: 1.3-1.4 times) had greater release potential than meadow and dark brown soils due to higher electron donors/acceptors and substrates. Dynamic column experiments further elucidated that the wet-dry cycles induced by agricultural cultivation regulated the release process through the formation of zonal redox gradients and the structuring of microbial community. Organic nitrogen mineralization, chemolithotrophic nitrification, and Feammox/Mnammox were identified as the primary mechanisms responsible for the reductive dissolution of Fe-Mn oxides. On the other hand, autotrophic denitrification, with nitrate serving as the electron acceptor, constituted the main process for the reoxidation of Fe and Mn. Furthermore, the agricultural activities exerted a significant impact on the nitrate attenuation process, ultimately resulting in the recurrence of TFe (black soil: 1.5-6.3 times) and nitrate (black soil: 1.4-1.6 times) pollution during the phase after harvesting of rice (days 40-45) in saturated zone. The findings of this study not only deepened the understanding of the intricate interactions and coupled cycles between primary geochemical compositions and anthropogenic pollutants, but also provided a scientific foundation for the effective management and prevention of groundwater pollution stemming from agricultural cultivation processes.

Soil chemical washing has the disadvantages of long reaction time, slow reaction rate and unstable effect. Thus, there is an urgent need to find a cost-effective and widely applicable alternative power to facilitate the migration of washing solutions in the soil, so as to achieve efficient removal of heavy metals, reduce the risk of soil compaction, and mitigate the damage of soil structure. Therefore, the study used a combination of freeze-thaw cycle (FTC) and chemical washing to obtain three-dimensional images of soil pore structure using micro-X-ray microtomography, and applied image analysis techniques to study the effects of freeze-thaw washing on the characteristics of different pore structures of the soil, and then revealed the effects of pore structure on the removal of heavy metals. The results showed that the soil pore structure of the freeze-thaw washing treatment (FT) became more porous and complex, which increased the soil imaged porosity (TIP), pore number (TNP), porosity of macropores and irregular pores, permeability, and heavy metal removal rate. Macroporosity, fractal dimension, and TNP were the main factors contributing to the increase in TIP between treatments. The porous structure resulted in larger effective pore diameters, which contain a greater number of branching pathways and pore networks, allowing the chemical washing solutions to fully contact the soil, increasing the roughness of the soil particle surface, mitigating the risk of soil compaction, and decreasing the contamination of heavy metals. The results of this study contribute to provide new insights into the management of heavy metal pollution in agricultural soils.

The present paper sets out a comparative analysis of carbon emission and economic benefit of different performance gradients solid waste based solidification material (SSM). The macro properties of SSM were the focus of systematic study, with the aim of gaining deeper insight into the response of the SSM to conditions such as freeze-thaw cycles, seawater erosion, dry-wet cycles and dry shrinkage. In order to facilitate this study, a range of analytical techniques were employed, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP). The findings indicate that, in comparison with cement, the carbon emissions of SSM (A1) are diminished by 77.7 %, amounting to 190 kg/t, the carbon-performance ratio (24.4 kg/ MPa), the cost-performance ratio (32.1RMB/MPa) and the carbon-cost ratio (0.76kg/RMB) are reduced by 86 %, 56 % and 68 % respectively. SSM demonstrated better performance in terms of freeze-thaw resistance, seawater erosion resistance and dry-wet resistance when compared to cement. The dry shrinkage value of SSM solidified soil was reduced by approximately 35 % at 40 days compared to cement solidified soil, due to compensatory shrinkage and a reduction in pores. In contrast to the relatively minor impact of seawater erosion and the moderate effects of the wet-dry cycle, freeze-thaw cycles have been shown to cause the most severe structural damage to the micro-structure of solidified soil. The conduction of durability tests resulted in increased porosity and the most probable aperture. The increase in pores and micro-structure leads to the attenuation of macroscopic mechanical properties of SSM solidified soil. The engineering application verified that with the content of SSM of 50 kg/m, 4.5 % and 3 %, the strength, bearing capacity and bending value of SSM modified soil were 1.9 MPa, 180 kPa and 158, respectively in deep mixing piles, shallow in-situ solidification, and roadbed modified soil field.

Revealing regional-scale differences in microbial community structure and metabolic strategies across different land use types and soil types and how these differences relate to soil carbon (C) cycling function is crucial for understanding the mechanisms of soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration in agroecosystems. However, our understanding of these knowledge still remains unclear. Here, we employed metagenomic methods to explore differences in microbial community structure, functional potential, and ecological strategies in calcareous soil and red soil, as well as the relationships among these factors and SOC stocks. The results showed that the bacterial absolute abundance and diversity were higher and the fungal absolute abundance and diversity were lower in calcareous soil than in red soil. This may be attributed to stochastic processes dominated the assembly of bacterial and fungal communities in calcareous soil and red soil, respectively. This in turn was closely related to soil pH and Ca2 + content. Linear discriminant analysis showed that genes related to microbial growth and reproduction (e.g., amino acid biosynthesis, central carbon metabolism, and membrane transport) were enriched in calcareous soil. While genes related to stress tolerance (e.g., bacterial chemotaxis, DNA damage repair, biofilm formation) were enriched in red soil. The great difference in soil properties between calcareous soil and red soil may be the cause of this result. Compared with red soil, the higher soil pH, SOC, and calcium and magnesium content in calcareous soil increased the bacterial absolute abundance and diversity, thus increasing the SOC sequestration potential of microorganisms, but also increased the decomposition of organic carbon by fungi, thus increasing the SOC loss potential. However, the bacterial absolute abundance and diversity were much higher than that of fungi. Therefore, soil carbon sequestration potential was still greater than its loss potential in karst agroecosystems. Agricultural disturbance intensity may be the main factor affecting these relationships. Overall, these findings advance our understanding of how soil microbial metabolic processes are related to SOC sequestration.

Alkali-activated concrete (AAC) is a focal point in green building material research due to its low carbon footprint and superior performance. This study seeks to enhance the impact resistance of recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) by elucidating the synergistic mechanisms of alkali activation, nano-modification, and fiber reinforcement. To this end, four mix designs, incorporating NaOH and NaOH-Na2SiO3 systems with 2 % nano-SiO2(NS), were developed and assessed through setting time, compressive strength, drop hammer impact tests, and XRD/ SEM analyses. The NaOH-Na2SiO3 system exhibited a 23.5 % increase in compressive strength over NaOH, achieving 28.41 MPa, while NS refined pore structures, elevating strength to 32.2 MPa; XRD/SEM analyses confirmed mechanisms of pore refinement and interfacial enhancement. In the optimized system, the NT12-C5 formulation, incorporating polypropylene fiber (PPF) and recycled carbon fiber (RCF), exhibited superior impact resistance, with NS enhancing interfacial bonding between carbon fiber and the matrix, resulting in a 47.8 % increase in initial crack impact energy. The Weibull model validated the reliability of impact performance. Furthermore, life cycle assessment revealed that Soil Solidification Rock Recycled aggregate concrete (SSRRAC) substantially reduced carbon emissions compared to ordinary Portland cement (OPC), while maintaining competitive economic costs. This study's innovations include: (1) synergistic optimization of low-carbon AAC performance using NaOH-Na2SiO3 and NS; (2) optimized PPF/RCF formulations promoting the reuse of waste carbon fiber; and (3) application of the Weibull model to overcome conventional statistical constraints. Collectively, these findings establish a theoretical and practical foundation for the global development of sustainable building materials.