Soil samples in collapsibility tests always suffer from severe disturbance, large data discreteness, and poor representativeness when collapsibility is evaluated using basic physical indices. To provide a more comprehensive evaluation method, three extended physical indices, including plastic limit-water content difference (Δw), initial structural parameter (mis), and comprehensive physical property index (Icpp), are defined. Analysis confirms the validity and accuracy of the three proposed physical indices. Furthermore, their correlations with collapsibility parameters are examined, based on which predictive models are derived. These formulas provide an efficient approach for assessing loess collapsibility, facilitating engineering design and safety prediction. The results indicate that: 1) When Δw>0, loess is in a semi-solid or solid state with stronger collapsibility and smaller compressive deformation; when Δw<0, loess is in a plastic state with weaker collapsibility and larger compressive deformation. 2) With increasing water content during saturation, the softening behavior of unconfined compression curves becomes less pronounced, and the soil transitions from a strongly structured state to a weakly structured state. The initial structural parameter reflects the bonding and arrangement characteristics of loess particles and enables the release of structural potential. 3) The comprehensive physical property index, which incorporates gradation, density and moisture, shows high sensitivity. 4) The collapsibility coefficient increases linearly with Δw and mis, but decreases linearly with Icpp. Moreover, the influence of the three extended physical indices on Malan loess collapsibility is greater than that on Lishi loess.
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