ABSTRACT
In general, intermittent tensile cracks tend to form on the rear parts of the slope when the tensile stress of the trailing edge exceeds the tensile strength of slope soil. Research on tensile strength, by contrast, is very limited. Solidified cohesion is the increased strength in the process of soil formation under the condition of constant dry density and water content. The tensile strength of loess is the ultimate resistance to external tensile force, thus reflecting the magnitude of loess cohesion. Generally, the tensile strength decreases with the increase of moisture content when the dry density of loess is constant. The tensile strength gradually decreases and finally stabilizes with the increase of length-to-diameter ratio of the specimen. The tensile strength of the remolded loess is related to consolidation pressure or compaction degree. When the moisture content is constant, the tensile strength of loess increases with the increase of dry density.
