

To address issues such as the subsidence of loess upon water contact, uniform gradation, and difficulties in cement stabilization, a sodium sulfate-mineral powder composite was developed as a loess stabilizer. The mechanical strength of stabilized soil samples was evaluated under different dosages in both standard curing and dry curing conditions using unconfined compressive strength tests. The evolution of internal structural damage under pressure was analyzed using XRD and SEM methods. The research results indicated that the optimal ratio of sodium sulfate, lime, and mineral powder is 1:1:0.1, with the optimal dosage of the stabilizer being 9% of the total mass. Exceeding this dosage resulted in swelling and cracking of the samples. The sodium sulfate-mineral powder-lime stabilized loess exhibited a significant increase in mechanical strength compared to cement-stabilized soil. Under water immersion conditions, the standard curing sample strength reached 5.89 MPa, showing a 3.92% increase compared to the dry pressing condition. Some sodium sulfate reacts with moisture to form ettringite, which helps optimize the gradation curve of the stabilized soil, while lime and mineral powder enhance the cohesion of soil particles through hydration reactions, leading to improvements in both the mechanical strength and durability of the stabilized loess samples.