Abstract:
Physical simulation represents a critical methodology in landslide hazard research. The emergence of transparent soil technology has enabled visual observation of landslide processes, though existing transparent soil materials face limitations in terrestrial landslide modeling, including inadequate transparency, preparation methods that alter mechanical properties, and strong dependence on liquid immersion—factors that collectively reduce model applicability and reliability. To improve both the transparency and practicality of transparent cemented soil, this study focused on two key aspects: material formulation and transparency control. Through systematic optimization of the preparation process, critical parameters such as fused quartz sand particle size, fumed silica content, and mineral oil ratio were regulated. This resulted in the development of a transparent cemented soil suitable for non-immersed conditions, overcoming the traditional dependency on liquid submersion. Triaxial shear tests confirmed that the internal friction angle and cohesion of the formulated material closely approximate those of natural geomaterials, effectively simulating the deformation behavior of soils with different grain sizes. Furthermore, by optimizing solid-liquid ratios, applying vacuum saturation, and utilizing negative-pressure static placement, the transparency of the material was significantly improved. This approach ensures a balance between optical clarity and mechanical strength while maintaining consistency between the physical model and real-world soil behavior. The transparent cemented soil model developed using these techniques enables dynamic tracking of rainfall infiltration paths and three-dimensional visual observation of failure mechanisms, offering a high-precision experimental tool for geohazard simulation. Preliminary application tests of the conceptual model have further validated the reliability of the transparent soil technology in landslide model construction and its potential for engineering applications.