Prediction of loess earthquake geological disasters in the reconstruction sites after the Minxian-Zhangxian Ms 6.6 earthquake

Based on the static and dynamic triaxial tests of loess specimen taken from 8 sites of Post-earthquake disaster reconstruction after the 2013 Minxian-Zhangxian Ms6.6 Earthquake, the dynamic and static characteristics of loess in two reconstruction sites located in the meizoseismal region were analyzed in this paper. The stability of loess slope in 3 reconstruction sites and seismic subsidence properties of the loess in 5 sites in the earthquake affected areas were discussed. The potential loess geological disasters caused by the earthquake in the reconstruction areas were predicted with the combination of the geomorphological characteristics of settlements. The results indicate that the loess in the meizoseismal region is characterized by stress intensification under static loading. However, the rigidity can decay rapidly and the glutinousness can increase sharply under the cyclic loading. The slope in reconstruction sites MX-2 and MX-3 may be instabile under the effect of the earthquake. The reconstruction sites of MX-1, ZX-1, LT-1 and LX-1 have the risk of generating seismic subsidence disasters in different levels when the seismic intensity is greater than 8 degree. In addition, the loess in the MX-1 site can be liquefied when the seismic intensity is greater than 8 degree, and has the risk of inducing earthquake disasters such as landslides caused by liquefaction, mudflow, foundation failure and differential settlement.