Objective Soft clay is widely distributed in coastal areas of China. Due to poor engineering properties such as high water content, high porosity, high compressibility, low permeability, and low strength, infrastructure constructed in these areas faces significant challenges. Cement-based stabilization of soft clay is a commonly adopted approach for reinforcing soft foundations. However, existing research primarily focuses on the behavior of stabilized clay at a single scale, such as the micro-, meso-, or macro-scale, while cross-scale correlations remain insufficiently understood. In response, this study proposes a multi-scale linkage framework to bridge the mechanical properties of stabilized clay across different scales. Methods Two artificial clays with distinct clay mineral compositions, including kaolinite-rich kaolin and montmorillonite-rich bentonite, as well as the primary strength-producing constituents of cement clinker, C3S and C3A, were selected to prepare stabilized samples. In addition to conventional macroscopic unconfined compressive strength tests, nanoindentation and small-strain bending element testing techniques were applied to characterize the micro- and meso-mechanical properties of the stabilized clays. Then, big data deconvolution statistical analysis and a homogenized self-consistent model were employed to quantitatively establish cross-scale correlations within the stabilized clays. Results and Discussions A large volume of indentation hardness and elastic modulus data was obtained from the nanoindentation tests. The elastic modulus distribution cloud maps of the stabilized samples visually reflected the micro- and nano-scale mechanical characteristics resulting from interactions between hydration products and clay minerals. Statistical analysis indicated that the average elastic moduli of KS, KA, BS, and BA samples were 23.2, 13.4, 18.6, and 16.4 GPa, respectively, demonstrating that cement clinker and clay mineral composition significantly influenced the micro- and nano-mechanical properties of stabilized soils. During the hydration process, the alkaline environment progressively eroded clay particles and their aggregates, raising the dissolution of active SiO2 and Al2O3 colloids within the clay minerals. These precipitated amorphous oxide colloids reacted with Ca(OH)2 generated during hydration to form additional cementitious products such as C‒S‒H and C‒A‒H. As a result, volcanic ash reactions continued over prolonged curing and service periods, influencing material strength and stiffness. Based on PDF and CDF deconvolution results, the volume fractions of distinct material phases were quantitatively determined, and the volume contents obtained from both methods were generally consistent. The primary hydration product in C3S-stabilized clay was C‒S‒H, and the average C‒S‒H content in BS was 36.8%, which was slightly higher than that in KS at 34.7%. Similarly, C‒A‒H was the dominant hydration product in C3A-stabilized clay, and the C‒A‒H content in BA reached 29.1%, exceeding that in KA at 21.4%. These results indicated differences in reaction mechanisms and reaction intensities among various clay minerals and cement clinker compositions. The volcanic ash reaction intensity of bentonite was significantly greater than that of kaolin, leading to increased formation of secondary C‒S‒H and C‒A‒H. The elastic modulus E of each sample was obtained using the small-strain bending element test, and the meso-scale elastic moduli of KS, KA, BS, and BA were 1 416.76, 911.26, 1 480.26, and 995.81 MPa, respectively. Following the bending element tests, the samples were subjected to unconfined compressive strength testing, which indicated macro-scale elastic moduli of 256.72, 102.21, 268.68, and 132.79 MPa for KS, KA, BS, and BA, respectively. Relationships among micro, nano, meso, and macro elastic moduli were established by integrating elastic modulus results obtained from nanoindentation, cross-scale modeling, small-strain bending element testing, and unconfined compressive strength testing. The micro-scale elastic moduli of KS, KA, BS, and BA were determined to be 10.3 to 14.4 times and 56.5 to 122.7 times greater than their corresponding meso- and macro-scale elastic moduli, respectively. Conclusions Both cement clinker and clay minerals have significant influences on the micro-, meso-, and macro-scale mechanical properties of stabilized clay. A multi-scale linkage framework was developed by investigating the mechanical properties of stabilized clay at micro, meso, and macro scales, which deepens the understanding of the reaction mechanisms between clay minerals and hydration products in stabilized clay and provides guidelines for predicting the macroscopic mechanical properties of stabilized clay.
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