Mechanical Properties and Mechanism Analysis of Yeast-Stabilized Loess

Mechanical Properties and Mechanism Analysis of Yeast-Stabilized Loess | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Mechanical Properties and Mechanism Analysis of Yeast-Stabilized Loess He Wang, YuanXun LI, Zengdi Quan This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8939811/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract To expand bio-mediated stabilization to deep loess deposits under oxygen-deficient conditions, this study evaluates a non-ureolytic, yeast-based strategy under aerobic and anaerobic curing. Cylindrical loess specimens were prepared using a single-mix method by combining an activated yeast suspension with a cementation solution containing 0.05 M pyruvic acid and 1.0 M calcium lactate, and then cured for 3–28 days by film wrapping (aerobic) or vacuum sealing (anaerobic). Mechanical performance was quantified using unconfined compressive strength (UCS) and unconsolidated–undrained triaxial tests, and the strengthening mechanism was assessed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and carbonate-content quantification via acid washing. Relative to untreated loess (UCS = 81.3 kPa), yeast treatment increased UCS to 99.8–109.9 kPa under aerobic curing and to 89.1–95.7 kPa under anaerobic curing, demonstrating measurable reinforcement under anaerobic conditions. Mohr–Coulomb interpretation indicates that the strength gain is mainly attributed to an increase in cohesion from 25.3 kPa to 31.0–33.0 kPa, whereas the friction angle remains nearly unchanged (37–39°), suggesting a bonding-dominated response. SEM reveals fibrous/film-like bridging networks between particles, while XRD and carbonate measurements show negligible formation of new crystalline CaCO₃. Overall, yeast enhances loess strength primarily through polymeric cementation (EPS-like products) rather than carbonate precipitation, providing a promising and environmentally friendly option for deep-soil stabilization in anaerobic environments. loess biostabilization yeast facultative anaerobe extracellular polymeric substances Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8939811","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":599820528,"identity":"8095831a-80b0-4c21-9b1a-3e1fac5d8fee","order_by":0,"name":"He Wang","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Qinghai University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"He","middleName":"","lastName":"Wang","suffix":""},{"id":599820529,"identity":"529b5cb0-f031-4197-a5de-b4de97e9e7f5","order_by":1,"name":"YuanXun LI","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA1ElEQVRIie3NMQrCMBTG8VcKdYmtY0SoV3ji4OBlIoF2acGpc12cinPFS+gNUrpK54IOnZwzdlDUCuIiJG4O+fOWwPcjACbTH+YCWA3Duw+0ezoa5LmxUS7t6U/EGebSXqT6hEY4IuiEm1OGIJMSvF2qIgGbEiTx9nxEK69KoGehIlxwgjTe1xHa/XUJSJmKLNKSIIbYkZse4cUqR8ZexNIi5MJBophs62BZZFVIaK0gXi+atewqxm7ND02bzH0vVxAYvAfidUAU++4b8SEmk8lk+toDqJ5BsGNM/EgAAAAASUVORK5CYII=","orcid":"","institution":"Qinghai University","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"YuanXun","middleName":"","lastName":"LI","suffix":""},{"id":599820530,"identity":"0125adec-0006-4d62-b62b-0afee6d6f173","order_by":2,"name":"Zengdi Quan","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Qinghai University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Zengdi","middleName":"","lastName":"Quan","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2026-02-22 14:39:19","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8939811/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8939811/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":103941432,"identity":"5ee4e867-4ae8-4a37-979e-a6477c78025e","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-03-04 19:24:52","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":1264269,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"MechanicalPropertiesandMechanismAnalysisofYeastStabilizedLoess.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8939811/v1_covered_3d0c29bd-b788-4b27-8582-97d123d4c48f.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Mechanical Properties and Mechanism Analysis of Yeast-Stabilized Loess","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"loess, biostabilization, yeast, facultative anaerobe, extracellular polymeric substances","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8939811/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8939811/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eTo expand bio-mediated stabilization to deep loess deposits under oxygen-deficient conditions, this study evaluates a non-ureolytic, yeast-based strategy under aerobic and anaerobic curing. Cylindrical loess specimens were prepared using a single-mix method by combining an activated yeast suspension with a cementation solution containing 0.05 M pyruvic acid and 1.0 M calcium lactate, and then cured for 3\u0026ndash;28 days by film wrapping (aerobic) or vacuum sealing (anaerobic). Mechanical performance was quantified using unconfined compressive strength (UCS) and unconsolidated\u0026ndash;undrained triaxial tests, and the strengthening mechanism was assessed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and carbonate-content quantification via acid washing. Relative to untreated loess (UCS\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;81.3 kPa), yeast treatment increased UCS to 99.8\u0026ndash;109.9 kPa under aerobic curing and to 89.1\u0026ndash;95.7 kPa under anaerobic curing, demonstrating measurable reinforcement under anaerobic conditions. Mohr\u0026ndash;Coulomb interpretation indicates that the strength gain is mainly attributed to an increase in cohesion from 25.3 kPa to 31.0\u0026ndash;33.0 kPa, whereas the friction angle remains nearly unchanged (37\u0026ndash;39\u0026deg;), suggesting a bonding-dominated response. SEM reveals fibrous/film-like bridging networks between particles, while XRD and carbonate measurements show negligible formation of new crystalline CaCO₃. Overall, yeast enhances loess strength primarily through polymeric cementation (EPS-like products) rather than carbonate precipitation, providing a promising and environmentally friendly option for deep-soil stabilization in anaerobic environments.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Mechanical Properties and Mechanism Analysis of Yeast-Stabilized Loess","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-03-04 18:38:53","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8939811/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"fb8ded7a-237a-4859-9995-b5f25c112d39","owner":[],"postedDate":"March 4th, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-03-04T19:24:33+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2026-03-04 18:38:53","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-8939811","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-8939811","identity":"rs-8939811","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}