Effects of Dry–Wet Cycles on Permeability and Shear Strength of Yuanmou Red Clay

Jie Zhang, Fucai Liu, Yi Yang, Zhiquan Yang (), Zhong Zi, Qiuyue Ding, Guanqun Wang, Wenjun Zhang, Xusheng Dai, Yilin Liang and Guanxiong Liu
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Jie Zhang: Faculty of Land Resources Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650093, China
Fucai Liu: School of Public Safety and Emergency Management, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650093, China
Yi Yang: Faculty of Land Resources Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650093, China
Zhiquan Yang: School of Public Safety and Emergency Management, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650093, China
Zhong Zi: School of Public Safety and Emergency Management, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650093, China
Qiuyue Ding: Faculty of Land Resources Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650093, China
Guanqun Wang: Yunnan Institute of Geo-Environment Monitoring, Kunming 650216, China
Wenjun Zhang: Yunnan Institute of Geo-Environment Monitoring, Kunming 650216, China
Xusheng Dai: Yunnan Institute of Geo-Environment Monitoring, Kunming 650216, China
Yilin Liang: School of Public Safety and Emergency Management, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650093, China
Guanxiong Liu: Yunnan Yunlv Haixin Aluminum Industry Co., Ltd., Zhaotong 657005, China

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 19, 1-19

Abstract: Investigating the properties of red clay under the action of dry–wet cycles is crucial for mitigating geological disasters and promoting the sustainable development of geotechnical engineering infrastructure. In this paper, red clay from the Yuanmou dry-hot valley in Yunnan Province was selected as the research subject. The investigation focused on examining the effects of dry–wet cycles on its permeability and shear strength. Samples were prepared by controlling the initial moisture content (8%, 11%, 14%, 17%, and 20% for permeability tests; 11%, 14%, and 17% for strength tests) and initial dry density (1.65 g/cm 3 , 1.70 g/cm 3 , 1.75 g/cm 3 , and 1.80 g/cm 3 ). We conducted variable-head permeability tests and direct shear tests on samples undergoing 1–5 dry–wet cycles. The results demonstrated that (1) the saturated moisture content decreased with the increasing number of dry–wet cycles, with the first cycle showing the most significant decrease (decreasing by approximately 15–25% depending on initial conditions). (2) The permeability coefficient decreased continuously with the number of cycles, exhibiting a transition behavior around the optimum moisture content (14%). Samples with lower initial moisture content (8–14%) showed higher permeability reduction (up to 40% decrease) compared to those with higher initial moisture content (14–20%). (3) The dry–wet cycles lead to a significant attenuation of the shear strength, and the first cycle has the largest reduction. The shear strength parameters of red clay exhibit distinct attenuation patterns. The cohesion decreased exponentially with the number of cycles (total attenuation ≈55–60%), and the internal friction angle decreased linearly (total attenuation ≈20–25%). The total attenuation of cohesion was much larger than the internal friction angle. (4) The degradation mechanism is essentially a multi-scale coupling process of cementation dissolution, pore collapse, and fracture expansion of red clay internal structure. These findings provide critical insights for sustainable engineering design and disaster prevention in regions with similar soil conditions, contributing to the resilience and longevity of infrastructure under changing climatic conditions.

Keywords: red clay; dry–wet cycles; permeability characteristics; shear strength; sustainable geotechnical engineering (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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