# Preservation of Soil Ruins After High Temperatures: Water Absorption and Compressive Strength

## TL;DR

A new composite material helps preserve soil ruins from damage caused by high temperatures by improving their strength and reducing cracking.

## Contribution

The novel use of P(AA-AM-AMPS) composites to enhance soil preservation through improved compressive strength and reduced cracking.

## Key findings

- Adding P(AA-AM-AMPS) to loess reduces surface cracking after aging resistance tests.
- The compressive strength of reinforced loess increased from 1.8 N/mm2 to 2.6 N/mm2.
- The reinforced soil shows similar air permeability and no color change compared to the blank sample.

## Abstract

Soil ruins hold historical significance and serve as witnesses to past civilizations. High temperatures cause soil moisture to evaporate and soil to shrink, leading to cracking issues and making preservation a global challenge. P(AA-AM-AMPS) (Acrylic acid -Acrylamide-2-Acrylamide-2-methy-propenesulfonic acid) composites solve this problem by combining absorbent materials with loess. In this study, P(AA-AM-AMPS) was prepared using a solution method. The water absorption, water retention, air permeability, and compressive strength of P(AA-AM-AMPS) in loess were studied. The results show that after adding P(AA-AM-AMPS) to loess, there is no obvious color difference compared with the blank sample, and the air permeability of the reinforced loess is basically the same as that of the blank soil. After aging resistance tests, the surface cracking of soil clods is significantly reduced compared to that of the blank samples, and their compressive strength improved from 1.8 N/mm2 to 2.6 N/mm2.