Effects of applied pressure on freezing soils

Abstract

Background studies illustrating the effect of externally applied pressure on frost heave are reviewed together with some of the thermodynamic aspects of pressure effects. New experimental data are presented to show how the segregation potential varies with applied pressure. This variation is explained in terms of the influence of applied pressure on the segregation-freezing temperature and the average permeability of the frozen fringe. An explanation is given of the change in mode from expulsion to attraction of water to the freezing front in a loaded soil and it is shown that segregation can be eliminated by externally applied loads. However, these loads are generally too high to be of engineering interest. While it has been concluded that, under laboratory freezing conditions, the segregation potential is dependent upon applied pressure, suction at the frost front, and rate of cooling of the frozen fringe, field conditions are often simpler. A simplified method of predicting frost heave under field conditions is developed that should lead to conservative results.