{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,17]],"date-time":"2026-06-17T22:14:50Z","timestamp":1781734490139,"version":"3.54.5"},"reference-count":45,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"10","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2020,10,16]],"date-time":"2020-10-16T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1602806400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Key Project of International (Regional) Cooperation and Communication of the National Natural Science Foundation of China","award":["41820104001"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["41820104001"]}]},{"name":"Special Fund for Major Scientific Instruments of the National Natural Science Foundation of China","award":["41627801"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["41627801"]}]},{"name":"Jilin Provincial Water Resources Department","award":["126002-2020-0001"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["126002-2020-0001"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Symmetry"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Saline soil is a widely distributed special soil with poor engineering properties. In seasonally frozen regions, the poor properties of saline soil will cause many types of engineering damage such as road boiling, melt sinking, and subgrade instability. These engineering failures are closely related to the shear strength of saline soil. However, there are relatively few studies on saline soil in cold regions. The strength of the soil is always determined by its microstructure; therefore, the study aims to investigate the relationship between the shear strength and microscopic pore structure of saline soil with different freeze\u2013thaw cycles and salinities. The shear strength characteristics of saline soil with different salinities subjected to different freeze\u2013thaw cycles were obtained by triaxial tests. In addition, the microstructure of the soil samples was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) tests, and the microscopic pore parameters of the soil samples, including porosity (N), average pore diameter (D\u00af), average shape coefficient (K), surface fluctuation fractal dimension (F), and orienting probability entropy (Hm), were obtained by image processing software quantitatively. Based on the experimental results, the influence of freeze\u2013thaw cycles and salinity on the shear strength characteristics and microstructure of the soil samples were analyzed. Besides that, in order to effectively eliminate the collinearity between independent variables and obtain a stable and reasonable regression model, principal component regression (PCR) analysis was adopted to establish the relationship between the microscopic pore parameters and the failure strength of the soil samples. The fitting results demonstrated that the failure strength of saline soil is mainly related to the size and direction of the pores in the soil, and it has little correlation with pore shape. The failure strength of the soil was negatively correlated with the average pore diameter (D\u00af) and porosity (N), and it was positively correlated with the orienting probability entropy of the pores (Hm). This study may provide a quantitative basis for explaining the variation mechanism of the mechanical properties of saline soil from a microscopic perspective and provide references for the symmetry between the changes of the macroscopic properties and microscopic pore structure of the saline soil in cold regions.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/sym12101709","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2020,10,17]],"date-time":"2020-10-17T07:23:22Z","timestamp":1602919402000},"page":"1709","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":36,"title":["Relationship between the Shear Strength and Microscopic Pore Parameters of Saline Soil with Different Freeze-Thaw Cycles and Salinities"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"12","author":[{"given":"Jiaqi","family":"Wang","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Construction Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun 130026, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Qing","family":"Wang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Construction Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun 130026, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sen","family":"Lin","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Water Conservancy and Hydropower Survey and Design Institute of Jilin Province, Changchun 130021, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yan","family":"Han","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Construction Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun 130026, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Shukai","family":"Cheng","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Construction Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun 130026, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ning","family":"Wang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Construction Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun 130026, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2020,10,16]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"124","DOI":"10.1016\/j.catena.2018.03.021","article-title":"Shear strength of purple soil bunds under different soil water contents and dry densities: A case study in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area, China","volume":"166","author":"Wei","year":"2018","journal-title":"Catena"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1994","DOI":"10.1061\/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0000931","article-title":"Effects of Particle Size Distribution on Shear Strength of Accumulation Soil","volume":"139","author":"Wang","year":"2013","journal-title":"J. Geotech. Geoenvironmental Eng."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"125","DOI":"10.1016\/j.enggeo.2018.07.028","article-title":"Effect of water content and density on strength and deformation behavior of clay soils","volume":"244","author":"Malizia","year":"2018","journal-title":"Eng. Geol."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"34","DOI":"10.1016\/j.coldregions.2006.09.008","article-title":"Effects of cyclic freezing and thawing on mechanical properties of Qinghai-Tibet clay","volume":"48","author":"Wang","year":"2007","journal-title":"Cold Reg. Sci. Technol."},{"key":"ref_5","first-page":"1339","article-title":"Laboratory study on quantitative parameter of structural characteristics of soils considering effect of freeze-thaw cycles","volume":"38","author":"Zheng","year":"2016","journal-title":"Chin. J. Geotech. Eng."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"245","DOI":"10.1002\/ppp.559","article-title":"A review of the influence of freeze-thaw cycles on soil geotechnical properties","volume":"17","author":"Qi","year":"2006","journal-title":"Permafr. Periglac. Process."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"19","DOI":"10.1016\/j.coldregions.2018.01.007","article-title":"Experimental study on the freezing\u2013thawing deformation of a silty clay","volume":"151","author":"Lu","year":"2018","journal-title":"Cold Reg. Sci. Technol."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"681","DOI":"10.1016\/j.catena.2018.07.046","article-title":"Experiments on the initial freezing point of dispersive saline soil","volume":"171","author":"Han","year":"2018","journal-title":"Catena"},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"431","DOI":"10.1007\/s12665-010-0858-y","article-title":"Experimental investigations on the influence of cyclical freezing and thawing on physical and mechanical properties of saline soil","volume":"64","author":"Bing","year":"2011","journal-title":"Environ. Earth Sci."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"04018064","DOI":"10.1061\/(ASCE)GM.1943-5622.0001173","article-title":"Numerical Study on the Multifield Mathematical Coupled Model of Hydraulic-Thermal-Salt-Mechanical in Saturated Freezing Saline Soil","volume":"18","author":"Zhang","year":"2018","journal-title":"Int. J. Geomech."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"250","DOI":"10.1007\/s12517-018-3592-5","article-title":"Effects of repeated freeze-thaw cycles on physico-mechanical properties of cohesive soils","volume":"11","author":"Viran","year":"2018","journal-title":"Arab. J. Geosci."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"32","DOI":"10.1016\/j.coldregions.2019.03.003","article-title":"Experimental investigation of the geotechnical properties and microstructure of lime-stabilized saline soils under freeze-thaw cycling","volume":"161","author":"Liu","year":"2019","journal-title":"Cold Reg. Sci. Technol."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"8649","DOI":"10.1007\/s13369-014-1410-2","article-title":"The Microstructure Characters of Saline Soil in Qarhan Salt Lake Area and Its Behaviors of Mechanics and Compressive Strength","volume":"39","author":"Liu","year":"2014","journal-title":"Arab. J. Sci. Eng."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"327","DOI":"10.1016\/j.sandf.2016.04.001","article-title":"Effect of chlorine salt on the physical and mechanical properties of inshore saline soil treated with lime","volume":"56","author":"Li","year":"2016","journal-title":"Soils Found."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"544","DOI":"10.1007\/s12517-017-3313-5","article-title":"Characteristics of strength and pore distribution of lime-flyash loess under freeze-thaw cycles and dry-wet cycles","volume":"10","author":"Yan","year":"2017","journal-title":"Arab. J. Geosci."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"7679","DOI":"10.1007\/s12665-014-3934-x","article-title":"Effect of freeze\u2013thaw on hydraulic conductivity and microstructure of soft soil in Shanghai area","volume":"73","author":"Tang","year":"2015","journal-title":"Environ. Earth Sci."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"203","DOI":"10.1016\/S0013-7952(00)00074-0","article-title":"Mechanical behavior and microstructural variation of loess under dynamic compaction","volume":"59","author":"Hu","year":"2001","journal-title":"Eng. Geol."},{"key":"ref_18","first-page":"2690","article-title":"Influence of freezing-thawing on soil structure and its soil mechanics significance","volume":"39","author":"Qi","year":"2003","journal-title":"Chin. J. Rock Mech. Eng."},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"249","DOI":"10.1016\/j.enggeo.2014.07.021","article-title":"Structural characterization of natural loess and remolded loess under triaxial tests","volume":"181","author":"Jiang","year":"2014","journal-title":"Eng. Geol."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"104","DOI":"10.1016\/j.coldregions.2018.01.011","article-title":"Strength behaviors and meso-structural characters of loess after freeze-thaw","volume":"148","author":"Xu","year":"2018","journal-title":"Cold Reg. Sci. Technol."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"46","DOI":"10.1016\/j.enggeo.2013.10.023","article-title":"Influence of structure on shear characteristics of the unsaturated loess in Lanzhou, China","volume":"168","author":"Wen","year":"2014","journal-title":"Eng. Geol."},{"key":"ref_22","first-page":"78","article-title":"A study of the relationship between shear strength and microstructure of laterite under drying and wetting cycles","volume":"45","author":"Zhang","year":"2018","journal-title":"Hydrogeol. Eng. Geol."},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"26","DOI":"10.1016\/j.coldregions.2013.10.009","article-title":"Mechanical properties of a silty clay subjected to freezing\u2013thawing","volume":"98","author":"Cui","year":"2014","journal-title":"Cold Reg. Sci. Technol."},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"143","DOI":"10.1007\/s12665-017-6454-7","article-title":"Quantitative analysis for the effect of microstructure on the mechanical strength of frozen silty clay with different contents of sodium sulfate","volume":"76","author":"You","year":"2017","journal-title":"Environ. Earth Sci."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"38","DOI":"10.1016\/j.coldregions.2013.12.003","article-title":"Impact of freeze\u2013thaw cycles on mechanical behaviour of lime stabilized gypseous soils","volume":"99","author":"Aldaood","year":"2014","journal-title":"Cold Reg. Sci. Technol."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"127","DOI":"10.1016\/j.coldregions.2015.09.011","article-title":"Effects of freeze\u2013thaw cycles on a fiber reinforced fine grained soil in relation to geotechnical parameters","volume":"120","author":"Roustaei","year":"2015","journal-title":"Cold Reg. Sci. Technol."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"124","DOI":"10.1016\/j.coldregions.2012.05.016","article-title":"Effect of freeze\u2013thaw cycles on durability and strength of very soft clay soil stabilised with recycled Bassanite","volume":"82","author":"Kamei","year":"2012","journal-title":"Cold Reg. Sci. Technol."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"69","DOI":"10.1016\/j.enggeo.2012.12.018","article-title":"Undrained shear behavior of loess saturated with different concentrations of sodium chloride solution","volume":"155","author":"Zhang","year":"2013","journal-title":"Eng. Geol."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"42","DOI":"10.1016\/j.coldregions.2018.06.002","article-title":"Effect of freeze-thaw cycles on shear strength of saline soil","volume":"154","author":"Han","year":"2018","journal-title":"Cold Reg. Sci. Technol."},{"key":"ref_30","first-page":"1366","article-title":"Mechanical properties of saline soil under the influence of different factors","volume":"28","author":"Wang","year":"2019","journal-title":"Fresenius Environ. Bull."},{"key":"ref_31","unstructured":"Chinese Standard (1999). GB\/T50123-1999. Standard for Soil Test Methods, China Planning Press."},{"key":"ref_32","unstructured":"ASTM (2011). Standard Practice for Classification of Soils for Engineering Purposes (Unified Soil Classification System), D2487-11, ASTM International."},{"key":"ref_33","first-page":"951","article-title":"Influence of salt and compaction on critical water content of frost heaving of saline soil","volume":"24","author":"Wang","year":"2016","journal-title":"J. Eng. Geol."},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1226","DOI":"10.1007\/s11368-018-2136-7","article-title":"Evolution of pore-size distribution of intact loess and remolded loess due to consolidation","volume":"19","author":"Wang","year":"2019","journal-title":"J. Soils Sediments"},{"key":"ref_35","first-page":"560","article-title":"Factors affecting analysis of soil microstructure using SEM","volume":"30","author":"Tang","year":"2008","journal-title":"Chin. J. Geotech. Eng."},{"key":"ref_36","first-page":"148","article-title":"A quantitative study of the microstructure characteristics of soil and its application to the engineering","volume":"162","author":"Wang","year":"2001","journal-title":"J. Chengdu Univ. Technol."},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"236","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jhydrol.2005.03.005","article-title":"Multiscaling analysis in a structured clay soil using 2D images","volume":"322","author":"Tarquis","year":"2006","journal-title":"J. Hydrol."},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"233","DOI":"10.1007\/s10064-013-0469-4","article-title":"Quantitative evaluation of microstructure characteristics of cement consolidated soil","volume":"72","author":"Chen","year":"2013","journal-title":"Bull. Eng. Geol. Environ."},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"161","DOI":"10.1007\/s12665-020-08903-w","article-title":"Analysis of the pore structure characteristics of freeze-thawed saline soil with different salinities based on mercury intrusion porosimetry","volume":"79","author":"Wang","year":"2020","journal-title":"Environ. Earth Sci."},{"key":"ref_40","first-page":"60","article-title":"Quantitative Assessment of Changes of Microstructure for Clayey Soil in the Process of Compaction","volume":"42","author":"Shi","year":"1996","journal-title":"Chin. J. Geotech. Eng."},{"key":"ref_41","first-page":"435","article-title":"Freeze-thaw induced changes in soil structure and its relationship with variations in strength","volume":"34","author":"Fang","year":"2012","journal-title":"J. Glaciol. Geocryol."},{"key":"ref_42","first-page":"3597","article-title":"Influences of freeze-thaw cycles on mechanical properties of silty clay based on SEM and MIP test","volume":"34","author":"Zhang","year":"2015","journal-title":"Chin. J. Rock Mech. Eng."},{"key":"ref_43","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"528","DOI":"10.1007\/s12665-017-6879-z","article-title":"Analysis of microscopic pore structures of the silty clay before and after freezing\u2013thawing under the subway vibration loading","volume":"76","author":"Zhang","year":"2017","journal-title":"Environ. Earth Sci."},{"key":"ref_44","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"141","DOI":"10.1016\/S0169-2607(02)00058-5","article-title":"Principal component regression analysis with spss","volume":"71","author":"Liu","year":"2003","journal-title":"Comput. Methods Programs Biomed."},{"key":"ref_45","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"115868","DOI":"10.1016\/j.seppur.2019.115868","article-title":"Prediction of full-scale filtration plant performance using artificial neural networks based on principal component analysis","volume":"230","author":"Alver","year":"2020","journal-title":"Sep. Purif. Technol."}],"container-title":["Symmetry"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2073-8994\/12\/10\/1709\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]],"date-time":"2025-10-11T10:22:52Z","timestamp":1760178172000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2073-8994\/12\/10\/1709"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2020,10,16]]},"references-count":45,"journal-issue":{"issue":"10","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2020,10]]}},"alternative-id":["sym12101709"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/sym12101709","relation":{},"ISSN":["2073-8994"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2073-8994","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2020,10,16]]}}}