## 5 Discussion  
Soft rocks are abundant on Earth, and using local soft rock resources can make use of on-site materials, eliminating the need for large-scale material yards or only requiring small-scale material yards, which can reduce transportation costs and emissions from importing construction materials from other regions and help reduce negative environmental impacts. The use of cemented soft rock as a construction material can make use of low-quality aggregates that conventional construction materials, such as concrete, are unable to use. In red layer areas, particularly in areas lacking hard rocks, it is even more practical. Cemented soft rock gravel has a certain strength and shear resistance, and the dam body stress level of a cemented soft rock dam is relatively low, with the overall stability and seismic safety high enough to be suitable for construction in strong earthquake zones. Overall, due to its relatively low cost and abundant reserves, as well as good engineering properties, cemented soft rock can become a beneficial construction material. Although further research is needed to fully understand the engineering characteristics and long-term performance of cemented soft rock, the successful completion of the Jinijogu cemented soft rock dam demonstrates that cemented soft rock is a reliable and effective building material, providing a feasible option for similar construction projects.  
However, the application of soft rock in cemented material dams is still in its early stages and has certain limitations. Soft rocks generally have low strength and represent a wide variety of rock types with high variability. During mining and construction, rock fragments are easily broken, causing large fluctuations in gravel size. Due to changes in  
Figure 12: BP neural network for compressive strength prediction of cemented material dam: (**a**) prediction results of compressive strength and (**b**) linear regression equation.  
aggregate size, the required water content of the cemented soft rock also changes, resulting in fluctuations and variations in material performance. Therefore, certain quality control measures are required to ensure the mixing and construction quality of the cemented soft rock. Additionally, because the strength of cemented soft rock is not as strong as concrete or other building materials, it has relatively low impermeability and frost resistance. Concrete panels are often installed on the surface of the dam to enhance its overall performance. Currently, cemented soft rock gravel dams are mainly used in small and medium-sized water conservancy and hydropower projects and can be built on the upper part of poorly weathered bedrock. For cemented dams built on non-rock foundations, special consideration must be given to the dam material, structural design, anti-sliding stability, anti-seepage design, deformation, and settlement in the design process.  
For the application of cemented soft rock dams, it is necessary to first comply with the applicable standards and regulations for using cemented soft rock as a construction material. Second, proper feasibility studies should be conducted to evaluate whether cemented soft rock is appropriate as a construction material for the project. The cemented soft rock should then be properly maintained, regularly inspected, and repaired to ensure its optimal strength and durability, as well as maintaining the structural integrity of the dam with the passage of time. In the future, it is important to further study the methods for cemented mixtures using low-quality gravel such as mudstone, mudstone sandstone, slate weathering material, sandy soil, and foundation excavation material and to develop cost-effective construction processes and quality assurance measures for cemented soft rock dams. This can play an important role in promoting the development and diversification of cemented soft rock gravel materials, providing technical support for the construction of 100 m cemented soft rock dams.