Seepage mechanisms and permeability differences between loess and paleosols in the critical zone of the Loess Plateau

The soil in the Loess Plateau has special permeability characteristics due to the alternating distribution of loess and paleosol layers. Using an analysis of the physical properties, microstructure and thermogravimetric analysis of loess and paleosol, this paper examines strata seepage mechanisms in the loess tableland area and considers the applicability of a hydraulic conductivity empirical formula. The analysis shows that hydraulic conductivity attenuation with depth can be represented by a negative exponential model, while hydraulic conductivity values are not normally distributed. The best-fitting models of hydraulic conductivity in the horizontal (K_H) and vertical (K_V) directions are Gaussian models, and both have strong spatial correlations. This study of the difference in permeability between loess and paleosol found that the depositional environment was the dominant causal factor, making the average hydraulic conductivity of most loess layers greater than that of the underlying paleosol layers. Different microstructures between loess and paleosol also confirmed the microscopic explanation in permeability anisotropy and their permeability difference. Thermogravimetric analysis determined temperature ranges for different types of water lost by heat, and then calculated ratios of bound water mass to liquid limit, with an average of 0.768. A modified formula suitable for loess was obtained by integrating the consistency index method and effective porosity ratio model into the hydraulic conductivity empirical formula. Compared with the results of laboratory tests and uncorrected formulas, the modified formula provides a good estimate of strata hydraulic conductivity. Accurate understandings of seepage mechanisms and permeability differences in the loess area are important, promoting ecological restoration and providing scientific guidance for the sustainable development of the Loess Plateau.