Experimental investigations on the influence of cyclical freezing and thawing on physical and mechanical properties of saline soil

Uniaxial compressive strength experiments were performed on saline loess different water and salt contents, and multiple freeze/thaw cycles at room temperature. The experiments revealed changes to the stress–strain curve and the failure mode of the saline loess. The results indicated that soil strength is intensified or weakened during freezing and thawing due to the injection of sodium sulfate solute. Cyclical freezing and thawing is a process to get a new dynamic equilibrium, and under these experimental conditions, six freeze–thaw cycles are need for loess with sodium sulfate to reach a new dynamic equilibrium.