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. 2023 Jun 29;18(6):e0287251.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0287251. eCollection 2023.

The key to improving the beauty of the giant retaining wall in valleys: Increasing visual extension

Jialu Song  1 , Yanzuo Zhou  1 , Weiyang Xiao  2 , Qin Zeng  1 , Yixuan Wu  1 , Huixing Song  1
Affiliations

The key to improving the beauty of the giant retaining wall in valleys: Increasing visual extension

Jialu Song et al. PLoS One. .

Abstract

The retaining wall is a passive engineering measure to prevent and control unsafe factors caused by rock collapse in the valleys. Existing studies have mainly focused on its functional robustness and safety features, with few exploring its visual quality in the landscape. A multiple regression analysis was applied to evaluate the Scenic Beauty Estimation (SBE) of the giant retaining wall in Jiuzhaigou's (a world natural heritage site) Heye Village, then the factors affecting SBE were analyzed. It is found that enhancing the sense of perspective and spatial hierarchy of retaining-wall murals in narrow roads contributes to the extension of observers' sight, which is the key to improving SBE. Furthermore, the showcase of folk culture in murals can realize the beautification function of the giant retaining walls. In addition, the SBE of giant retaining walls is also linked to coordination, where the walls embellished with the natural landscape and folk culture murals have better SBE performance than those with local stones. This study provides a reference for constructing scenic beauty after fulfilling the safety function of retaining wall engineering.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. Location of Heye Village and photos of retaining wall.
(a, b, Reprinted from map data Open Street Map contributors, map layer by Mapbox, under a CC BY 4.0 license). https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.21715967.v1.
Fig 2
Fig 2. SBE value of sample photo.
(Reprinted from Graphic design collection of Jiuzhaigou folk culture with its post-disaster reconstruction projects under a CC BY license, with permission from Jie Du, original copyright 2021). https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.21700970.v2.
Fig 3
Fig 3. A comparison of SBE values in professional and non-professional groups.
Fig 4
Fig 4. Mural scene of the giant retaining wall.
(Reprinted from Graphic design collection of Jiuzhaigou folk culture with its post-disaster reconstruction projects under a CC BY license, with permission from Jie Du, original copyright 2021). https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.21716252.v1.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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