Effect of freeze–thaw cycles on the freezing characteristics of a clayey silt at various overconsolidation ratios

Abstract

Repeated freezing and thawing affect the structure of clayey silts over a wide range of consolidation ratios. While the overall void ratio of the thawed soil either decreased, as in lightly overconsolidated soils, or increased, as in heavily overconsolidated samples, freezing and thawing caused a reduction in segregation potential after each freeze–thaw event. All the changes occurred during the first three cycles. The maximum reduction in segregation potential was about 50% in all samples. The implications for frost heave predictions in the field are discussed. Key words: freeze–thaw, clayey silt, segregation potential, frost heave.