Abstract: Soil structure is an intrinsic determinant of its strength and deformation. The loess structure is determined by the link structural strength and the friction structural strength. Based on this, some new and reasonable structural parameters of loess are suggested based on soil static strength, such as the link structural static strength potential parameter m? 1, the friction structural static strength potential parameter m? 2 and the structural static strength potential parameter m?. These structural parameters have clear physical meaning, and can be used to reflect the comprehensive structure, the link structural and frictional structure of loess. The stress-strain behavior and the variation of the structural parameters of loess are studied under static triaxial stress conditions. The stress-strain formula of intact loess based on the structural parameters is provided. So we can simulate the stress-strain curve of intact loess by structure parameters and the stress-strain curve of saturated remolded loess which has the weakest structure. Some parameters such as strength index c, the value of the initial tangent modulus Ei, failure ratio Rf, stress level S and tangent modulus of elasticity Et can be worked out from the stress-strain formula of intact loess. These parameters can be used in finite element analysis of loess stress-strain under static loads.

Key words: loess, structure, structural parameters, stress-strain relation