Chinese Traditional Buildings Research Articles

Manufacturing Techniques of the Mortar Excavated from the Tieguai Tomb of the Northern Song Dynasty in Nanling, Southern China

ABSTRACT Glutinous rice mortar is a traditional lime-based building material which was first used in China during the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279 CE) according to ancient Chinese documents. The Tieguai Tomb, dating back to the late Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127 CE) in Nanling, Southern China, was built by using mortar for its tomb chamber, making it the earliest mortar tomb found in China to date. In this study, X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thin-section petrography, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and starch grain analyses were conducted to comprehensively investigate the manufacturing techniques of the mortar from the Tieguai tomb. The results show that the mortar is a type of organic–inorganic mixed material made of glutinous rice pulp, lime, clay, and fine sand. This finding indicates that glutinous rice mortar had already been used as a building material as early as the late Northern Song Dynasty, which is the earliest use record for this material in China. This study also provides direct scientific evidence for exploring the origin of glutinous rice mortar and is of great importance for reconstructing the history of Chinese traditional building materials and architectural techniques.

Simulation-based analysis of window paper effects on daylighting of traditional Beijing siheyuan

Paper is a widely used light-transmissive material in Chinese traditional buildings. To establish and simulation methods for window paper and study the temporal and spatial features of daylighting in Beijing siheyuan, we conducted model measurements and simulations based on dynamic meteorological parameters in the main and side houses. It has been found that in comparison with glass, window paper has following features in terms of daylighting: (1) It improves the uniformity of illuminance in a room and reduces seasonal differences in illuminance; (2) It can improve ground illuminance and the illuminance at the rear wall, and reduce work plane illuminance near the window; (3) It reduces interior illuminance in general and increases the chance of glare in the main house at noon in winter. This study clarified the lighting significance of window paper and provided a reference for the application of diffuse transmissive materials with window paper-like effects.

The Extraction of Roof Feature Lines of Traditional Chinese Village Buildings Based on UAV Dense Matching Point Clouds

Traditional Chinese buildings serve as a carrier for the inheritance of traditional culture and national characteristics. In the context of rural revitalization, achieving the 3D reconstruction of traditional village buildings is a crucial technical approach to promoting rural planning, improving living environments, and establishing digital villages. However, traditional algorithms primarily target urban buildings, exhibiting limited adaptability and less ideal feature extraction performance for traditional residential buildings. As a result, guaranteeing the accuracy and reliability of 3D models for different types of traditional buildings remains challenging. In this paper, taking Jingping Village in Western Hunan as an example, we propose a method that combines multiple algorithms based on the slope segmentation of the roof to extract feature lines. Firstly, the VDVI and CSF algorithms are used to extract the building and roof point clouds based on the MVS point cloud. Secondly, according to roof features, village buildings are classified, and a 3D roof point cloud is projected into 2D regular grid data. Finally, the roof slope is segmented via slope direction, and internal and external feature lines are obtained after refinement through Canny edge detection and Hough straight line detection. The results indicate that the CSF algorithm can effectively extract the roofs of I-shaped, L-shaped, and U-shaped traditional buildings. The accuracy of roof surface segmentation based on slope exceeds 99.6%, which is significantly better than the RANSAC algorithm and the region segmentation algorithm. This method is capable of efficiently extracting the characteristic lines of roofs in low-rise buildings within traditional villages. It provides a reference method for achieving the high-precision modeling of traditional village architecture at a low cost and with high efficiency.

Features of inner courtyard spaces in traditional Chinese dwellings and their application in modern regional architectural design

The article examines the formal characteristics and morphotypes of courtyard spaces in traditional Chinese dwellings, including compositional solutions for groups of courtyard spaces. Continuity of such spaces in modern regional architectural creativity is considered. Based on an analysis of several modern Chinese regional architectural projects, the ways of integrating the courtyard spaces of traditional Chinese buildings into a modern architectural context are discussed. Examples are provided, showing the reconstruction and metaphorical reinterpretation of both individual spaces and combined structures of group spaces of courtyards in the context of integration of modern architectural creativity with traditional national and regional architecture.

TRANSFORMATION OF BORROWED PHENOMENA: THE BUDDHIST FRESCO IN DUNGHUAN AND THE ARCHITECTURE OF THE MOSQUES OF SHAANXI PROVINCE IN CHINA

The purpose of the article is to analyze the phenomenon of borrowing without being limited by a specific style, and on the basis of this to argue at which hierarchical level the transformation took place: at the level of composition, form or decor.
 The relevance of the research topic is determined by the need to analyze how local cultural and artistic traditions influenced the transformation of borrowed styles and what exactly the phenomenon of transformation consisted of, whether it was the same for several borrowed styles.
 As a result of the study of wall paintings in different periods, it was established that, according to the figurative concept of Dunhuang, the transformation was as follows:
 – a departure from the original Indian frescoes by complicating the compositions in the direction of three-dimensionality and polymorphism, diversifying polychromy, anatomical perfection, detailing and giving the image a national color through portrait images of founders in Chinese clothes, scenes from their lives, landscape images; 
 – therefore, in the Dunhuang frescoes, the transformation was focused on the planar images of the fresco (the role of ritual sculpture in the Dunhuang sanctuaries was much smaller). 
 Despite the fact that Islam never competed with Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism in terms of the number of believers in China, the rulers were friendly towards the construction of mosques. However, they are clearly dominated by Chinese traditions:
 – there are much more courtyards than in traditional mosques, and they are landscaped according to Chinese landscape design and have ponds with fish (this is a purely Chinese tradition);
 – the appearance of the pavilions and gates is purely Chinese: pavilions with a traditional Chinese silhouette, curved roofs with tiled roofs, complex multi-level eaves, open galleries on pillars, the use of traditional Chinese building materials (stone, brick, wood, tiles), bright polychromy, small detailing.
 So, in the case of mosques as well, Chinese culture radically changed their appearance, giving them maximum similarity with the temples of traditional religions.
 Thus, the transformation took place equally at all levels – planning, landscape design, three-dimensional form, plane with wall paintings and carvings.
 Later, this style manifested itself in the transformation of European Art Nouveau, which was also superimposed on local traditions.

Effects of slope curvature, ridge height and layered roofs on wind pressures on traditional-Chinese-style gable-hip and gable roofs

Curved slope profiles, high ridges and layered roofs are important features of traditional Chinese buildings, and they affect wind pressures and loads on roofs. Wind loadings on traditional Chinese hip roofs have been studied (Shan et al., 2018). However, traditional Chinese gable-hip roofs and gable roofs are as important as hip roofs, and their wind loading characteristics need to be investigated. Wind tunnel tests are performed on linear-slope gable-roof building models, as well as traditional Chinese building models with gable- and gable-hip roofs to investigate and estimate the necessary wind-resistant capacity of cladding tiles. Effects of roof curvature, ridge height and layered roofs on wind loadings on traditional Chinese gable roofs and traditional Chinese gable-hip roofs are investigated. Roof curvature of a gable roof can enlarge the peak area-averaged pressure and increase the resultant lift force. With increase in ridge height of a traditional Chinese gable roof, peak pressures increase while resultant lift forces decrease. Layered roofs decrease peak pressures but increase resultant lift forces on double-layer gable-hip roofs. As a result, wind pressures on traditional Chinese roofs can be significantly influenced by all three unique shape characteristics.

Large-scale fire spread model for traditional Chinese building communities

The complex layout of traditional Chinese building communities and the flammability of building materials make fire prevention and control a huge challenge. Scientific and effective allocation of fire resources is an effective way to deal with this issue. Through Fault Tree Analysis and cellular automata, the mathematical relationships between uncertainty influencing factors in the fire spread process of traditional Chinese building communities are explored, and a large-scale fire spread discriminant index model is constructed. This paper takes the buildings in the Nanluoguxiang area of Beijing as the research object. Fire spread paths are analyzed under four different fire starting point locations for Nanluoguxiang's fire hazards. By superimposing the fire spread paths, the key locations of the fire spread risk in the area are determined. The study proposes further improvement measures for fire prevention and control with the addition of micro fire stations based on these findings. The results of this study indicate that the construction of micro fire stations can effectively control the spread of fire between buildings. The model achieves an accurate portrayal of the differences in the interaction of fire spread between buildings. It realistically reflects the dynamic simulation process of fire spread in traditional Chinese building communities. Moreover, the model can more accurately calculate the key points of fire spread paths in traditional Chinese buildings. It will facilitate the optimal allocation of firefighting resources. This study can provide valuable support for firefighting practices in traditional Chinese communities.

The Evolution of Cold Adaptation Technology within Ancient Buildings in Amur River Basin Viewed from Archaeology.

The Amur River Basin is located in China's high-latitude and cold border areas. While inheriting the characteristics of Chinese traditional building, combined with its unique geographical and climatic environmental conditions, the local residential buildings have unique architectural features of cold climate adaptability. Outstanding insulation technology has become the main feature of the area, and has greatly affected the development of modern vernacular architecture. According to the archaeological reports and documents, this article selects ancient architectural sites from different historical periods as the research objects. Based on building restoration, AIRPAK software is used to simulate and analyze the indoor temperature of the building site, and to explore the effects of active heating measures, such as different forms of fire hypocaust system, and passive cold protection measures, such as different types of wall structures. According to archaeological information and simulation data, this paper summarizes the characteristics of the cold climate adaptability technology of ancient buildings in China's cold border areas over different historical periods. Because of the relatively lagging development background of the Amur River Basin in modern times, the construction of its vernacular buildings continued to use the traditional low-tech insulation technology of ancient buildings to adapt to the cold environment. Therefore, attention and research on insulation technology of ancient buildings can provide a new perspective of architectural heritage protection in cold regions. Establishing a development model that combines archaeology and cultural heritage protection is an effective way to achieve the goals of architectural cultural heritage research and protection.

Field experimental investigation of a multifunctional curved CIGS photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) roof system for traditional Chinese buildings

To manifest the traditional Chinese architectural aesthetics with curved elements and realize multiple functions, the curved photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) technology needs to be developed urgently. Inspired by traditional Chinese buildings, a multifunctional curved Copper Indium Gallium Selenide (CIGS) PV/T roof system is proposed. The system can fit the pitched tile roof well while providing electrical power, hot water/air, and improving interior ventilation according to domestic use by switching among four operation modes—PV/water-heating mode, PV/air-heating mode, PV-natural ventilation mode, and PV/water-natural ventilation mode. The last two modes can improve electrical efficiency and interior ventilation through natural ventilation comparatively. Two independent systems are used to investigate the influence of the Polymeric methyl methacrylate (PMMA) cover, the air fans and water pumps with different powers on the systems' electrical and thermal performance. The comprehensive analysis of the experimental results indicates that the system is reliable and multifunctional. A new efficiency evaluation method for the curved PV/T roof is proposed. The test rig was established, and the field experiments were conducted. Results show that in PV/water-heating mode, the average electrical efficiency is 6.57%, and the daily thermal efficiency is 25.28%; in PV/air-heating mode, the average electrical efficiency reaches 5.68%, and the thermal efficiency is 39.62%. The comparative experiments show that the relative increase in electrical efficiency is 6.93% in PV-natural ventilation mode and 1.93% in PV/water-natural ventilation mode.

The design practice of the roof structure of the old library of early architecture in Wuhan University

ABSTRACT The Old Library of Wuhan University is located at the core of the early architectural complex of Wuhan University. The main structure of the octagonal hill-style roof adopts the steel-truss bearing structure, which creates a traditional form of Chinese roof that stretches like bird wings. It is a standard for the integration of modern structural technology and regional culture. This paper analyzes the application of steel truss in the roof of Early Architecture of Wuhan University. Through the in-depth interpretation of the current authentic historical materials, for example, the roof structure drawings of the Old Library, this paper explores the practice of designers to create the roof curve form of Chinese traditional buildings, and expounds the significance and historical value of the roof structure design of the Old Library to the modernization of Chinese traditional buildings in the modern era.

Interpretation of appropriate places: State ceremonies and the imperial main halls of the Tang and Song dynasties

This paper aims to inquiry on the dialectical relationships between Chinese architecture's form and function in the horizon of long-term historical evolution, by clarifying how the histories of imperial main halls and state ceremonies relate to and interact with each other during the Tang and Song dynasties.The imperial main halls are the most archetypical and accomplished ones among traditional Chinese buildings, and their function is primarily ritual rather than practical. Although these magnificent buildings are indisputably considered the crowning achievement of Chinese architectural history, how the built space cooperates with ritual practices did not receive deserved attention.With the thorough reading of voluminous official ritual documents and comprehensive utilization of archaeological discoveries together with visual materials, the research presents a broad understanding of the asynchronous developments of the ground-level architectural arrangement and the ritual configuration across these centuries. Also specifically depicted are details of how architecture engaged in the ritual narration and was used as an apparatus to articulate emperor-courtier relationships.

Traditional Chinese architecture: the transmission of technical knowledge for the development of building heritage

The contribution outlines the typical elements of Chinese architecture, which combines the sophistication of technical and aesthetic details, and provides rules and criteria for the sizing and assembling standardized construction of different classes of buildings. These building elements are described in detail, through text and images, in the ancient manuals of Chinese architecture. The most significant document for its completeness and excellent state of preservation is entitled Yingzao Fashi: it was written by Li Chieh and published in 1103, after about thirty years of changes and integrations, and has been reissued several times over the centuries by different authors. This manual includes part of the contents of other earlier manuscripts, written since 700. It contains a set of guidelines resulting from the fusion of knowledge related to the theory and practice of building, respectively, transferred through theoretical texts and practical experiences. The contents of this important text were further developed and increasingly refined in other subsequent manuals (e.g., the Gongcheng Zuofa Zeli of 1734 and the Qing Shi Yingzao Zeli - Yingzao Suanli of 1934). The technical knowledge contained in these manuals allows the dissemination of down-handed practices to support the architects, artisans, and carpenters’ activity for constructing traditional works based on a wooden frame structure. The collection of drawings, tables, and rules elaborated over the centuries allows today a deeper comprehension of the genesis and evolution of the main construction elements of traditional Chinese buildings (foundations, beams, pillars, bracketing systems, roofing systems), enabling their analysis, recovery, and reconstruction.

Exploration of the Application of Door and Window Art in Ming and Qing Dynasties in Modern Jewelry

The architecture of the Ming and Qing Dynasties recorded the splendid ancient culture of China, and has long become a remarkable cultural heritage. Among them, the traditional doors and windows are one of the components of the traditional Chinese buildings. Doors and windows are an important part of the building. In traditional Chinese buildings, doors and windows are important components with both aesthetic and practical functions. This paper deeply discusses the art of doors and windows in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, integrates it with the modern jewelry language, and tries to give the jewelry a variety of visual senses, as well as strive to diversify the Chinese modern jewelry design field while inheriting the traditional door and window art. The paper first analyzed the artistic beauty of doors and windows in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, and studied the shape, material and process of window ornaments respectively. The application of door and window art in other art raises the problem of how door and window art should be applied in jewelry. Finally, and the inheritance, integration and development of the artistic characteristics of doors and windows of Ming and Qing Dynasties in the jewelry production process are explored.

A superhydrophobic magnetoelectric generator for high-performance conversion from raindrops to electricity

Abstract Traditional utilization of hydraulic power not only requires heavy and bulky electromagnetic generators but also is restricted by geographical condition and the scale of water sources. The development of new protocols which are miniature, flexible and able to generate electricity from disperse hydropower, such as raindrops, is highly required. In this study, we demonstrate the fabrication of a superhydrophobic magnetoelectric generator (SMEG) which is able to generate electricity from rainfall. The SMEG comprises three parts: a polymeric top containing a coil, tiny springs and a magnet/Ecoflex bottom. The tiny springs in the middle could deform/recover when the raindrops impact/leave the SMEG, allowing for the electrical generation of a charge density as high as 51.5 mC/m2, which is beyond the performances of currently reported surface-charge approaches. Related mechanism has been analyzed by the Maxwell numerical simulation, which guides further improvement of the SMEG by tailoring diverse parameters. Furthermore, by serving as the roof cornice at traditional Chinese buildings, the SMEG could convert flow-guiding rainfall impact to electricity, lightening a light-emitting diode or charging a capacitor to 0.78 V within 700 s. We believe that such a SMEG can extend the energy harvesting of disperse hydraulic energy.

Smart retrofitting of irregular steel joints in traditional Chinese buildings by viscous dampers

Ancient Chinese architecture is characterized by its unique appearance and exhibits high standards in terms of structural and artistic aspects. Most of these buildings were constructed with wood, which is expensive to maintain. Given the urgent requirement to preserve and pass on the historical architectural heritage, traditional Chinese buildings (TCBs) are being constructed using modern fabrication techniques and building materials that imitate the shape and appearance of ancient Chinese timber structures. To prevent premature failure and increase the strength of the irregular joints in TCBs, viscous dampers are attached to retrofit these irregular steel joints, instead of containing the relatively weak Dou-Gong (a unique component in TCBs). Four newly proposed 1/2.66-scale joint specimens with viscous dampers were fabricated and tested under fast dynamic periodic loads, and two other counterparts without dampers were tested for comparison. The influence of the damping coefficients of the viscous dampers on the dynamic performance of retrofitted irregular joints (including single beam-column joints and double beam-column joints) was assessed by their hysteretic behavior, strength, ductility, energy dissipation capacity, and stiffness degradation. The test results showed that the plastic hinge region moved outwards after the dampers were installed. The existence of dampers increased the strength of the irregular joints by 14.4%-41.7%. However, low ductility was exhibited by the irregular steel joints regardless of the installation of dampers, indicating that an appropriate design should be ensured for these joints to improve the damper function. A refined finite element (FE) model was developed based on the experiments, and the optimized installation configurations of dampers for irregular steel joints in TCBs, that is, the length and installation angle of dampers, were discussed. The proposed retrofitting method has been proved to be effective for reinforcing irregular steel joints in TCBs.

Dynamic responses on traditional Chinese timber multi-story building with high platform base under earthquake excitations

The multi-story timber structure with high platform base is one of the important architectural types in the traditional Chinese buildings. To study the dynamic characteristics and seismic responses on this kind of traditional structure, the 3-D finite element models of Xi'an drum tower which included the high platform base, upper timber structure and whole structure was established considering the structural form and material performance parameters of the structure in this study. By the modal analysis, the main frequencies and mode shapes of this kind of traditional building were obtained and investigated. The three kinds of earthquake excitations included El-Centro wave, Taft wave and Lanzhou wave were separately imposed on the upper timber structure model and the overall structure model, and the seismic responses on the tops of columns were analyzed. The results of time history analysis show that the seismic response of the upper timber structure is obviously amplified by high platform base. After considering the effect of high platform base, the mean value on the lateral displacement increments of the top column in the overall structure is more than 20.478% and the increase of dynamic coefficients was all above 0.818 under the above three different earthquake excitations. Obviously, it shows that the existence of high platform base has a negative influence on the seismic responses of upper timber structure. And the high platform base will directly affect the safety of the upper timber structure. Therefore, the influence of high platform base on the dynamic response of its upper timber structure cannot be neglected.

The origins of the formation and features of the manifestation of the Chinese Europeanized Architecture in mid-19th–second half of the 20th century

This article will look at the main preexisting architectural influences lying behind the development of Sino-Western architecture, fine examples of which exist in the southern (diaolou and qilou), central (shikumen) and Manchurian provinces (Chinese baroque). The first group consists of European architecture, as seen in the construction of European settlements and possessions in China, as well as the European-influenced buildings of Southeast Asia. The second group is the traditional architecture of China itself, which is a variation of the main type of Chinese residential buildings-siheyuan. The manifestation of the European influence in urban planning, space-planning decisions and decorative design of facades will be analyzed. It will be pointed out that the smallest changes affected city-planning decisions, which practically did not change. Functional and planning schemes of traditional Chinese buildings continued to dominate in the space-planning structure until the late stages of development. In the decorative design, from the first stages of development, an active borrowing of foreign elements can be traced, while their transformation occurred due to attempts to adapt them to traditional architectural forms and the local builders’ ignorance of the canons of European architecture.

Study on Structural Improvement of Loess by Waxy Rice Powder in Weak Acid Environment

Waxy rice is widely used in many ancient buildings due to their good performance in some fields (such as caking property, impermeability, weatherability, etc.). In the humid environment of South China, the excavation of ancient sites is faced with many problems, especially for sites with deep burial depth, it is necessary to set support and minimize the impact on the site environment. In the excavation project of Jingtoushan site, located in the town of Sanqi, Yuyao, Zhejiang Province, China, the loess between the steel structures supports needs to be reinforced. Waxy rice, as a traditional Chinese building additive, was used as the reinforcement of this project. Therefore, it is of great significance to explore the best proportion of waxy rice powder mixed with loess. In this paper, the standard columns with different proportion of waxy rice powder were made, and the uniaxial compression tests were carried out after curing for 0~180 days in standard humid environment (25°C and 60% humidity). It was found that the soil columns with 2% waxy rice powder had the best improvement effect. Due to the weak acidity of groundwater in South China, loess specimens mixed with 0%, 1%, 2%, 3% waxy rice powder was soaked in acetic acid solutions of 0mol/L, 0.5mol/L, 1mol/L and 2mol/L respectively, and the consolidation fast shear test, SEM test and mercury injection test were completed. The results show that the overall structure of the specimen is improved when the concentration of acetic acid is low. Acetic acid dissolves the calcium carbonate in the loess-waxy rice structure, quickly and effectively destroys the poor pore structure in the loess, and makes the waxy rice powder filled as the binder between the soil particles, forming a new structure. The improved structure has strong shear strength. When the concentration of acetic acid is high, the cementitious substance between the soil particles dissolves and the pore content increases. The waxy rice powder is not enough to fill the extra pores. Therefore, it is suggested that the proportion of waxy rice powder should be more than 2% in the areas with strong acidity. The study provides a useful reference for the excavation and follow-up protection of earthen sites in the acid environment of South China.

Potential of processed timber for preserving the Chinese traditional buildings

As one of the ethnic groups that enrich the diversity of customs and culture in Indonesia, the Chinese people have a cultural characteristic that their ancestors brought more than 400 years ago to Indonesia. This certainly gives a great influence on various aspects, one of which is the building architecture. This study aims to examine the architecture of traditional Chinese buildings in the China Benteng area, Tangerang. This research aims to examine the architecture of traditional Chinese buildings in the China Benteng area, Tangerang. The research method used is a qualitative rationalistic approach with qualitative data analysis. In the Chinese tradition, a procedure for building houses cannot be separated from Fengshui, as in the temple building in the China Benteng area. Fengshui is very important in determining the building direction that is profitable so that it will get blessings and avoid disaster. Meanwhile, wood materials usage in traditional Chinese buildings such as the Boen Tek Bio temple is solid wood. If a renovation or replacement of wood material is needed, of course now it is difficult to find solid wood of good quality, such as when building the Boen Tek Bio temple. For building preservation needs, processed wood or engineering wood is commonly used as one of the building materials and can be considered if needed to replace damaged wood material in traditional Chinese buildings.

Study on Strength and Permeability of Silt Soils Improving by Tung Oil and Sticky Rice Juice

Tianluoshan site (5000∼2500 BC), which belongs to the Hemudu culture, has suffered damages from the hydraulic effect like other Chinese earthen sites in moist circumstance. Tung oil and sticky rice juice, as Chinese traditional building materials, were chosen as the additives in this study. Tung oil has the property of good waterproofness, fast dry‐up, and quick film‐forming by oxidation. Sticky rice juice has the advantage of high glutinousness, good tenacity, and low expandability. The study is to figure out the best performing mixture of tung oil and sticky rice juice to decrease the permeability of soil and increase its strength to facilitate excavations at archeological sites enlarging the display of layers of cultures. Meanwhile, the color of the site soil after reinforcement must be maintained for a long time. From the direct shear tests and the falling head test of 9 specimens mixed in different mass ratios, it was confirmed that the optimal mass ratio of the tung oil, the sticky rice juice, and the soil was 5 : 10 : 85. The treated soil specimen of the optimal mass ratio had the largest increment of shearing strength. The self‐standing height of the vertical soil wall increases correspondingly from 2.63 m to 6.18 m, which could enlarge the step height when excavating a deep earthen site and extend the display height at the protection stage. The treated soil at the optimal mass ratio also showed the largest decrement of permeability coefficient from 1.257 × 10−5 cm/s of the untreated soil to 1.627 × 10−6 cm/s, which could reduce the hydraulic effect to the soil. The microstructures of the 9 specimens in different mass ratios were observed by SEM. The results showed that the glutinousness of sticky rice juice could cohere soil particles together, and the tung oil could then form oxidation film wrapping around the particle groups. In order to meet the aesthetic requirements of earthen sites conservation, the surface color contrast tests were used to measure the color change induced by the two additives. The surface contrast tests showed that the treated soil at the optimal mass ratio had the minimum variation of the surface, which could satisfy the basic requirements of earthen sites protection.