The structure, strength, and deformation characteristics of artificial structural loess can be manually controlled, which has significant advantages in scientific research on loess. By preparing and testing artificial structured loess, the natural properties of structured loess can be better investigated and studied. In this paper, the influence of varying moisture contents and additive dosages on artificial structured loess strength characteristics through triaxial shear tests were analyzed. The moisture content and additive dosage reflecting the structural properties of natural loess were obtained. Based on the microscopic test results, the mineral components, micromorphology, and pore characteristics of artificial structural loess were analyzed, and the mechanism of the structural evolution of loess under mechanical action was revealed. The results show that the minimum differences in the peak strength between W-16-Y2.0C2.0 and undisturbed soil under confining pressures of 50, 100, and 200 kPa are 6.481 kPa, 7.676 kPa, and 4.912 kPa, respectively. The minimum differences in the cohesion and inner friction angle between W-16-Y2.0C2.0 and undisturbed soil are 2 kPa and 0.2 degrees, respectively, indicating that W-16-Y2.0C2.0 is the optimal structural soil with a structural strength closest to that of undisturbed soil. Compared with the undisturbed loess, the content of calcite in the artificial structure loess increases from 9.8% to 11.2%, the proportion of plagioclase decreases from 20.5% to 17.4%, amphibole is consumed completely, and 2.1% of halite is generated. Furthermore, the pores of structured soil exhibit a three-peak distribution and are divided into four types, including micropores (= 13.5 mu m). When the pressure increases from 50 kPa to 200 kPa, micropores increase by 4.67%, small pores increase by 4.97%, medium pores decrease by 2.4%, and large pores decrease by 7.24%. The trend of pore structure changes in W-16-Y2.0C2.0 is similar to that of undisturbed loess. The research results provide a reference for preparing and applying artificial structural loess.

Loess is a distinctly structured soil. Undisturbed loess is prone to geological hazards, such as liquefaction and landslides under dynamic loads. There are also problems such as the inhomogeneity, anisotropy, and disturbance of in situ sampling. An artificial structural loess is prepared to accurately display the dynamic characteristics of undisturbed loess. This study took artificial structural loess as the study object, through dynamic triaxial tests, analyzed the effects of the confining pressure (sigma 3), dry density (rho d), and cement content (D) on its dynamic strength. Then, a dynamic strength index model of artificial structural loess was established. Our results show that the dynamic strength of artificial structural loess rises with enhanced sigma 3, rho d, and D. The dynamic cohesion (cd) and dynamic friction angle (phi d) increased with the rise of rho d, and D. The dynamic strength of artificial structured loess is closer to that of undisturbed loess when the rho d is 1.60 g/cm3 and D is 2%. The R2 values of the phi d and the cd model were 0.97 and 0.98, respectively, fitting the dynamic strength index of artificial structural loess with different D, rho d, and sigma 3. Our study outcomes can serve as references and guides for engineering construction in loess areas.