{
  "abstract": "Frequent shallow loess slope failures in loess regions pose significant threats to both linear infrastructure and local communities. Millimeter-scale initial cracks induced by water, temperature, and weathering are key factors controlling such loess failures. Early diagnosis and prevention remain challenging, largely because the disaster chain triggered by millimeter-scale initial cracks is not fully understood, and the early failure behavior of these cracks is poorly characterized. In this study, laboratory experiments were conducted on loess specimens containing artificial millimeter-scale initial cracks to simulate natural cracks. Uniaxial compression tests combined with CT scanning were performed on specimens with initial cracks of varying characteristics. Three-dimensional structural models of the specimens at initial failure were reconstructed using machine learning methods, and the morphology and structural characteristics of the cracks were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively. The test results show that the cracks generated in the initial failure state mainly involve wing cracks and extension cracks from the initial crack edges as well as wing cracks extending from both sides, initial cracks of varying characteristics produce different types of secondary cracks. Compared to intact specimens, samples with shallow, 45°-inclined, or shallow-surface compound cracks reached initial failure at substantially lower axial stresses—reduced by 78%, 65%, and 81%, respectively. This reduction is attributed to the development of larger-volume failure cracks in specimens with initial cracks. The distribution, inclination, and combination of millimeter-scale initial cracks exacerbate initial failure. Specifically, deeper initial cracks promote more large-volume failure cracks; 45° inclined initial cracks generate more large-volume failure cracks than horizontal or vertical ones; and two initial cracks produce more large-volume, large-diameter failure cracks than a single crack.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Institute of Disaster Prevention and Reduction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, China",
    "School of Civil and Transportation Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China",
    "School of Geological Engineering and Geomatics, Chang'an University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China"
  ],
  "article_type": "Research Article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 6,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Luqing Zhao"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Cuiying Zhou"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Zhen Liu"
    },
    {
      "name": "Qingyi Mu"
    },
    {
      "name": "Penghui Ma"
    },
    {
      "name": "Jianbing Peng"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/dsx69be77pgze.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1371/journal.pone.0359832",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "dsx69be77pgze",
  "issns": [
    "1932-6203"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0359832",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "journal",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Neuroscience/Neuroimaging/Computed axial tomography"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Computer and information sciences/Artificial intelligence/Machine learning"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Earth sciences/Geology/Petrology/Sediment/Loess"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Earth sciences/Geology/Sedimentary geology/Sediment/Loess"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Earth sciences/Soil science/Pedology/Loess"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Diagnostic medicine/Diagnostic radiology/Tomography/Computed axial tomography"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Radiology and imaging/Diagnostic radiology/Tomography/Computed axial tomography"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Physical sciences/Mathematics/Geometry/Tangents"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Physical sciences/Physics/Classical mechanics/Compression"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Physical sciences/Physics/Classical mechanics/Damage mechanics/Deformation"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Physical sciences/Physics/Classical mechanics/Deformation"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Physical sciences/Physics/Classical mechanics/Mechanical stress"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Physical sciences/Physics/Classical mechanics/Mechanical stress/Thermal stresses"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Research and analysis methods/Imaging techniques/Diagnostic radiology/Tomography/Computed axial tomography"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Research and analysis methods/Imaging techniques/Neuroimaging/Computed axial tomography"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": null,
  "pdf_url": null,
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-11-05",
  "publisher": "Public Library of Science",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/dsx69be77pgze.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-06T12:20:42Z",
      "native_id": "10.1371/journal.pone.0359832",
      "source": "plos",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0359832"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "earth",
      "origin": "plos:geology",
      "subfield": "geology-geochemistry"
    },
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "plos:diagnostic radiology",
      "subfield": "imaging"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Initial failure morphology of shallow loess containing millimeter-scale cracks: Insights from CT 3d imaging",
  "title_text": "Initial failure morphology of shallow loess containing millimeter-scale cracks: Insights from CT 3d imaging",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-07T12:20:24Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/dsx69be77pgze",
  "venue": "PLOS One",
  "versions": []
}