Abstract:In order to quantitatively analyze pore characteristics of reclaimed soils in gangue yard in coal mine area in Loess Plateau, in this study, high precision and lossless industrial CT and digital image processing technology were used to conduct non-destructive 3D scanning and pore characteristic parameter analysis on the undisturbed sandy-loam topsoil columns (diameter 2 cm and height 6 cm) from the areas of 17-year normal reclamation (RL), vegetation degradation of gangue spontaneous combustion (CL), and the original landform (OL) around the dump of Xiqu Coal Mine in Xishan mining area in Taiyuan City, Shanxi Province. The results showed that the physicochemical properties of reclaimed soil were influenced significantly by gangue spontaneous combustion. Compared with RL and OL soils, bulk density and salt content of CL were higher and organic matter, total nitrogen, available phosphorus, available potassium, CEC and pH were lower. In terms of pore structure, the porosity, microporosity (equal pore size > 300 μm) rate, narrow porosity and average pore diameter of CL soil were decreased by 35.74%, 36.22%, 16.00% and 38.85%, respectively, compared with RL. In addition, the quantitative analysis results of the pore shape coefficient, 3D masses fractal dimension and volumetric Euler-Poincaré were also showed the complexity and connectivity of CL pore network were significantly decreased compared with RL. In conclusion, gangue spontaneous combustion significantly reduced reclaimed soil porosity, average pore diameter, and at the same time also significantly reduced the complexity of soil pore network, connectivity and stability, leading to the overall degradation in physiochemical properties and functions of reclaimed soil.