Experimental Study on Scour Resistance Performance Enhancement of Chongqing Red Clay

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Dear authors,

Please find all the comments in the corresponding and attached PDF file.

Kind regards

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Author Response

Response to Reviewer Comments

 

Dear Editor,

Thank you for your prompt review of our manuscript. We have carefully addressed all comments and implemented the following revisions:

 

Abstract: Shortened to 193 words (originally exceeding length requirements).

 

Lines 56–63 (originally 60–65): Removed specific numerical ranges (soil utilization >85%, cementitious materials 6%–14%, curing agent 0.1%–0.4%) and revised to state generically: "soil, cementitious materials, water, and curing agent as primary materials." The subsequent advantages of solidified soil now cite authoritative references for claims.

 

Soil Type Clarification (Lines 112–115): Added details: "Red clay was sourced from a construction site in Jiangjin District, Chongqing, dried, crushed, and prepared prior to testing."

 

Table 1 and Line 121: Revised table title and content for clarity.

 

Terminology Consistency: Replaced generic "soil" with "red clay" throughout the experimental section.

 

Formatting Corrections: Added spaces between numbers and units (e.g., 80 mm instead of 80mm), and resolved punctuation issues.

 

Line 429 (originally 441): Added figure caption: "Figure 15. The effect of water-to-solid ratio changes on the critical shear stress of solidified soil."

 

Figure 17 (originally Figure 15): Renamed "pure earth" to "Red clay" for consistency.

 

Conclusion Section: Revised grammar and syntax for clarity.

 

Ethical Compliance: Added Author Contributions, Data Availability Statement, and Conflict of Interest Declaration. No funding was received for this research.

 

Thank you once again for your efficient review.

 

Sincerely, 

Dalei Wang

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

General comment

This study examines the scour properties of red clay when combined with cement and a curing agent. The authors performed experimental tests to assess the effects of varying curing agent dosages and cement content on the flowability and suspended solid content of the mix, as well as to determine the critical shear strength. The article aligns with the journal’s aims and scope and may be considered for publication after addressing the following comments.

Reviews required

1. Introduction (Lines 66-81): It is recommended that the authors report quantified results instead of generic statements from the cited literature articles to provide a clearer understanding of the findings.
2. Section 2.1: Accurate descriptions of both the curing agent and cement are necessary, as these components are crucial to the subsequent investigations.
3. Table 1: Table 1 reports two different percentage values for the plastic limit of the red clay. Please verify and correct this discrepancy.
4. Figure 2: I suggest numbering the blocks of the flow chart to enhance clarity and improve the representation.
5. Lines 125 and 136: References for the cited standards should be provided to substantiate the claims made in those lines.
6. Section 3.1: Regarding the flowability tests conducted at different curing times, a curing agent dosage of 0.3% was chosen. The authors should elaborate on this choice, as Figure 4 indicates that lower dosages may enhance the flowability of the mix.
7. Section 3: This section would benefit from the inclusion of pictures of the samples during testing, as visual representation can significantly enhance understanding.
8. Section 3.2: The authors indicate that a dosage of 0.3% of the curing agent is necessary to meet standard limits on suspended solids content. However, this requirement may vary based on the specific curing agent used, which has not been adequately described. The authors should elaborate on this point, detailing what modifications might be needed to reduce the curing agent percentage and thus increase the flowability of the mix.
9. Equation 2: The meaning of the variables y and x should be specified, or alternatively, symbols that clearly represent the physical meaning of the investigated parameters should be used to enhance understanding.
10. Author Credits and Acknowledgment Sections: The manuscript is lacking author credits and acknowledgment sections; these should be included to give proper recognition.

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Author Response

Response to Reviewer Comments

 

Dear Editor,

Thank you for your prompt review of our manuscript. We have revised the paper according to your comments, with the following specific modifications:

 

Introduction Section (Original Lines 66–81; Revised Lines 66–95): Generalized descriptions have been replaced with detailed explanations and numerical data.

 

Section 2.1 (Materials): Detailed cement specifications have been added. The curing agent is a proprietary formula developed in our laboratory. Due to confidentiality requirements for engineering applications, only its functional properties (thickening and adsorption effects) are described in the text.

 

Table 1 (Line 121): Redundant terms in the table have been corrected.

 

Figure 2 (Line 138): The flowchart steps are now numbered according to the experimental sequence.

 

Lines 142–152 (Original Lines 125–136): The flowability test references the Japanese group standard JHS A313 "Test Methods for Air-Entrained Mortar and Air-Entrained Grout", which specifies an acrylic cylinder (80 mm height, 80 mm inner diameter). Pumping requirements are met when flowability exceeds 160 mm.

 

Section 3.1 (Rationale for 0.3% Curing Agent Dosage): At dosages >0.3%, the 1-hour flowability of solidified soil is <160 mm, failing pumping requirements. At dosages <0.3%, the suspended solids content (150 mg/L) exceeds anti-dispersion limits. Thus, 0.3% was selected as the optimal dosage.

 

Supplementary Test Photos: Flowability test, Figure 7 (Line 286). Scouring initiation process, Figure 16 (Line 443).

 

Applicability of 0.3% Dosage: This dosage applies only to the tested Chongqing red clay and the specific in-house curing agent. Performance varies with soil type and curing agent; optimal dosages require case-specific testing. Generally, higher dosages improve anti-dispersion, but the curing agent proportion in solidified soil remains minimal.

 

Equation Variables: Physical meanings of variables “x” and “y” in the fitted formula are explicitly defined in the text.

 

Ethical Compliance: Added Author Contributions, Data Availability Statement, and Conflict of Interest Declaration. No funding was received.

 

Thank you again for your efficient review.

 

Sincerely, 

Dalei Wang

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf