Experimental Study on the Influences of the Fines Contents and Initial Moisture on the Water and Salt Migration of Coarse-Grained Saline Soil Subgrades

Haoyuan Yang, Jie Liu (), Jianyong Ma (), Yong Wang, Bo Wang and Jiangpeng Zhang
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Haoyuan Yang: College of Architectural Engineering, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830047, China
Jie Liu: College of Architectural Engineering, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830047, China
Jianyong Ma: Xinjiang Key Laboratory for Safety and Health of Transportation Infrastructure in Alpine and High-Altitude Mountainous Areas, Urumqi 830006, China
Yong Wang: China Gezhouba Group Municipal Engineering Co., Ltd., Yichang 443000, China
Bo Wang: China Gezhouba Group Municipal Engineering Co., Ltd., Yichang 443000, China
Jiangpeng Zhang: Xinjiang Key Laboratory for Safety and Health of Transportation Infrastructure in Alpine and High-Altitude Mountainous Areas, Urumqi 830006, China

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 24, 1-19

Abstract: The construction of roads in saline soil areas usually involves using coarse-grained soil as roadbed fill material; studying the water–vapor–salt migration mechanism in coarse-grained saline soil subgrades is crucial for ensuring the stability of highway infrastructure. In order to clarify the influence of fines content and initial moisture on the water–salt migration and to clarify the water–vapor–salt migration patterns in coarse-grained saline soil, a model test of coarse-grained saline soil was conducted to study the response patterns of external water replenishment, final moisture content, final salt content, and liquid level height of coarse-grained saline soil. The results indicated that the water vapor migration amount only causes a change in the final moisture content, albeit not enough to cause salt redistribution. With increasing initial moisture content in coarse-grained saline soil, the migration characteristics of water vapor are weakened, and it imposes a significant inhibitory effect on liquid water migration at the same time. Increasing fines content in coarse-grained soil significantly inhibits water vapor migration, whereas liquid water migration is promoted. Water and salt accumulate in the liquid and vapor coupling migration mode at different heights. Based on the mechanisms of water vapor and salt transport characteristics, this study proposes a novel roadbed structure, which is vital for ensuring the long-term service performance of coarse-grained saline soil roadbeds in saline soil areas.

Keywords: salt-affected soil subgrade; coarse-grained soil; initial moisture content; fines content; water and salt migration (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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