Analysis of bearing capacity of pile foundation in discontinued permafrost regions

Piles are the main building foundation in permafrost regions. Thawing the permafrost foundation would have a negative effect on a pile, and may cause damage to the building. This paper focuses on the effects of negative friction force due to the melt of permafrost, and presents four calculated methods for bearing capacity of a pile. An engineering station was taken as an example, where the lengths of a pile were compared based on four methods. Finally, quick field load tests were carried out, and some meaningful conclusions are presented. Thus, these analytical results can be used to design a pile for permafrost regions.     

Seasonally frozen soil effects on the dynamic behavior of highway bridges

Frozen ground is significantly stiffer than unfrozen ground. For bridges supported on deep foundations, bridge stiffness is also measurably higher in winter months. Significant changes due to seasonal freezing in bridge pier boundary conditions require additional detailing in order to ensure a ductile performance of the bridge during a design earthquake event. This paper reports the latest results obtained from a project that systematically investigated the effects of seasonally frozen soil on the seismic behavior of highway bridges in cold regions. A bridge was chosen and was monitored to study its seismic performance and assess the impact of seasonally frozen soil on its dynamic properties. A Finite Element (FE) model was created for this bridge to analyze the impact of seasonal frost. It was found that when frost depth reaches 1.2 m, the first transverse modal frequency increases about 200% when compared with the no-frost case. The results show that seasonal frost has a significant impact on the overall dynamic behavior of bridges supported by pile foundations in cold regions, and that these effects should be accounted for in seismic design.     

Current developments of research on permafrost engineering and cold region environment: a report of the 8th International Symposium on Permafrost Engineering

The Eighth International Symposium on Permafrost Engineering was held in Xi’an,China,October 2009.The major topics discussed in the symposium included:permafrost engineering (involving design,construction and evaluation);mitigation of frost hazards in the regions affected by seasonally frozen ground;properties of frozen soils,model development and their applications;frost hazards and periglacial environments in mountain and plateau regions;climatic,environmental and cryospheric changes;and permafrost hydrology,cold regions water resources and land uses.The papers submitted to the symposium and lectures during the meeting represented some new developments of research on cold region engineering and environment.Here we summarized the works of the symposium in topics including:Permafrost engineering;General geocryology;Properties of frozen soils:model development and their applications;And climatic,environmental and cryospheric changes.During the symposium,the attendees pointed out that future studies should pay more attention to theoretical study and engineering mechanism study,and also on interaction between climate change and cold region environments and their engineering affects.     

Study on the technology for highway construction and engineering practices in permafrost regions

In order to systemically summarize and integrate technology of highway construction in permafrost regions on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau,we studied disciplines and mechanisms of formation and development of problems and challenges in highway engineer-ing in high-altitude permafrost regions based on construction experiences for 50 years and on 30 years of research regarding the Qinghai-Tibet and Xikang highways.Embankments,pavements,bridges,and countermeasures for ecosystem protection in per-mafrost regions were the main study objects.We combined extensive analysis of key problems of engineering stability with inter-action between permafrost and highways,theoretical models,indoor tests,and field tests to reveal the interaction between em-bankments,pavements,bridge piles,and permafrost.In this paper,we propose a series of engineering measures for highway sta-bility,design parameters,key indexes for pavement durability in low temperature,relationships between re-freezing time of bridge-pile foundation and strength development as well as ecosystem recovery in high-latitude cold regions;these eventually form a construction technology package for permafrost regions.     

山区斜坡填土场地桩基础设计计算的有关问题

根据填土场地的实际情况,首先对山区斜坡上的镇土边坡边缘附近,建筑物桩基础设计计算的有关问题进行了分析,建立了相关的计算式,然后以某水电站库区移民新集镇信用社综合楼桩基础设计计算为例,阐述了其应用效果。     

珊瑚礁岩土的工程地质特性研究进展

文章综述了珊瑚礁岩土工程的研究意义、珊瑚礁岩土的组成、钙质砂的物理性质、钙质砂的静力学特性、珊瑚礁岩土中的桩基工程、珊瑚礁混凝土等方面的研究现状。得出：1）颗粒易破碎是钙质砂最重要的特性,直接影响着钙质砂的其他力学性能,而影响钙质砂颗粒破碎的主要因素有围压、有效应力、颗粒级配、初始孔隙比、颗粒强度、颗粒形状等;2）生物颗粒的易破碎以及成桩过程对钙质砂结构的扰动,导致钙质砂中的桩基承载力远低于普通石英砂;3）在以珊瑚砂为原料的混凝土工程中,利用抗硫酸盐水泥拌养的珊瑚混凝土,其强度和耐久性相对较好。最后指出：加强对钙质砂颗粒破碎发生机理的研究以及建立破碎模型、加强对新型珊瑚礁钢筋混凝土和新型桩基的研究、开展珊瑚礁岩土工程的灾害预防与处理以及工程后期的养护等,是珊瑚礁岩土工程进一步研究的方向。     

Constitutive models and salt migration mechanisms of saline frozen soil and the-state-of-the-practice countermeasures in cold regions

A series of saline soil-related problems, including salt expansion and collapse, frost heave and thaw settlement, threaten the safety of the road traffic and the built infrastructure in cold regions. This article presents a comprehensive review of the physical and mechanical properties, salt migration mechanisms of saline soil in cold environment, and the countermeasures in practice. It is organized as follows:(1) The basic physical characteristics;(2) The strength criteria and constitutive models;(3) Water and salt migration characteristics and mechanisms; and(4) Countermeasures of frost heave and salt expansion. The review provides a holistic perspective for recent progress in the strength characteristics, mechanisms of frost heave and salt expansion, engineering countermeasures of saline soil in cold regions. Future research is proposed on issues such as the effects of salt erosion on concrete and salt corrosion of metal under the joint action of evaporation and freeze-thaw cycles.     

Qinghai-Tibet Expressway experimental research

As one part of the National Highway Network Planning in China, the Qinghai-Tibet Expressway （QTE） from Golmud to Lhasa will be built in the interior of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau （QTP） across about 630 km of permafrost lands. Due to the problematic interactions between the engineering foundations and permafrost, the frozen-soil roadbed of the QTE will be subjected to the more intense thermal disturbances due to the wider black surface. The design and construction for long-term thermal and mechanical stability will face more severe challenges than those in ordinary highways and railways in the same region. In order to provide scientific support for cold regions engineering practices, the QTE Experimental Demonstration Project （EDP） was constructed in situ in the vicinity of the Beilu＇he Permafrost Station in the interior of the QTP. In this paper, the anticipated problems of the proposed QTE project are enumerated, and the structures of the test sections for QTE EDP are described. Through numerical simulations, it was found that the heat transfer processes occurring in each specific road structure are significantly different. The heat accumulation in the highway embankment is mainly due to the black bituminous pavement, but in the railway embankment with its gravel surfaces, it mainly comes from the side slopes. As a result, the net heat accumulation of the highway embankment is three times higher than that in the railway. In expressway, the heat accumulation is further increased because of the wider pavement so that significantly more heat will be accumulated in the roadbed beneath the centerline area. Thus, the thermal stability of the fro- zen-soil roadbed and the underlying permafrost of the QTE can be seriously threatened without proper engineering measures protection against thawing. Based on research and practical experiences from the operating Qinghai-Tibet Railway （QTR） and the Qinghai-Tibet Highway （QTH）, combined with the predicted characteristics of heat transfer in an expressway embankment, nine kinds of engineering measures for mitigating the thaw settlement of foundation soils through the cooling the roadbed soils were built and are being tested in the EDP. The design of the monitoring system for the EDP and the observed parameters were also described.     

Advances in studies on concrete durability and countermeasures against freezing-thawing effects

This paper is a meta-analysis of recent domestic and foreign research on freezing-thawing effects on concrete durability. The main theories on the mechanisms of freeze-thaw damage to concrete are introduced： the hydrostatic pressure theory, the osmotic pressure theory, the critical water saturation degree theory, the dual mechanism theory, and the micro-ice-crystal lens model theory. The influence laws of freezing-thawing on the mechanical properties of concrete are summarized, and countermeasures to improve concrete durability in freezing-thawing circumstances are presented. This work provides valuable references for future engineering constructions in cold regions.     

高切坡超前支护桩与坡体共同作用分析

针对高切坡施工常常导致边坡失稳破坏,诱发滑坡发生的现象,提出采用超前支护桩整治不稳定高切坡的设计理论。采用解藕方法研究了超前支护桩与开挖坡体之间的相互作用机制,其中高切坡开挖面采用弹性理论分析；超前支护桩采用可以考虑桩侧向土体屈服的弹塑性理论进行桩的内力理论解,根据两者之间荷载变形关系建立联系求解,为高切坡超前支护桩的设计提供依据。结果表明：桩土相互作用力大于常规主动土压力,与边坡开挖量、开挖高度、支护桩的刚度以及土体性质等因素密切相关。     

Fracture mechanics analysis in frost breakage of reservoir revetment on cold regions

Reservoir revetment in cold regions is often damaged by frost due to the joint action of low-temperatures and cryogenic environment in winter. This damage reduces or even eliminates the function of the reservoir revetment. In this paper, practical problems in engineering were analyzed for the drainage pumping station of Tuanjie Reservoir. Based on a traditional method of analysis and calculation, fracture mechanics was incorporated to provide quantitative analysis and calculation on the problem of anti-freeze damage from the viewpoint of fracture mechanics. Thus, a new idea is put forward to resolve anti-freezing of reservoir slope protection in cold regions.     

抗滑桩间土拱力学特性与最大桩间距分析

抗滑桩最大桩间距确定的基础理论至今未建立起来，工程实践中仍依赖专家经验。本文从方桩桩间土拱形成的原理、力学特性论证入手，较全面地分析了桩间土拱的受力、变形，力的传递和土拱破坏瞬间的最大桩间距。并建立了最大桩间距平面计算模型。     

中国冻土研究近今进展

近年来,在南极和青藏高原发现了多种成因的厚层地下冰。冰土的水分迁移、冻胀、成冰机制、强度和蠕变等的研究进一步深化。冻土改造和利用兴起,在寒区砂金矿开采、热桩利用等方面有了良好的开端。     

Problems and countermeasures in construction of transmission line projects in permafrost regions

Construction of power transmission lines is becoming an important part of permafrost engineering in China.This paper reviews the construction status and problems of transmission lines in different countries,as well as corresponding solutions that would be of practical significance for sustainable engineering practices.Russia has the longest history of transmission line construction in permafrost areas,with transmission lines（mainly 220 kV and 500 kV） spanning approximately 100,000 km.However,all countries suffer from permafrost-related tower foundation stability problems caused by freezing-thawing hazards such as frost heave and thaw settlement,frost lifting,and harmful cryogenic phenomena.As point-line transmission line constructions,the lines,poles and towers should be reasonably selected and installed with a comprehensive consideration of frozen soil characteristics to effectively reduce the occurrence of freezing-thawing disasters.Reinforced concrete pile foundations are widely used in the permafrost regions,and construction in winter is also a universal practice.Moreover,facilitating engineering measures like thermosyphons are an effective way to reduce freezing-thawing hazards and to maintain the stability of tower foundations.     

Applying the AHP-FUZZY method to evaluate the measure effect of rubble roadbed engineering in permafrost regions of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau: a case study of Chaidaer-Muli Railway

This article attempts to investigate the measure effect of rubble roadbed engineering in permafrost regions of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. As a case study, Chaidaer-Muli Railway is used to evaluate the measure effect of rubble roadbed engineering in permafrost regions. The AHP(Analytic Hierarchy Process) method is thus employed to establish the evaluation indicator system. The evaluation factor is selected by analyzing the mutual relation between the permafrost environment and roadbed engineering. Thus, a hierarchical structure model is established based on the selected evaluation indices. Each factor is weighted to determine the status in the evaluation system, and grading standards are built for providing a basis for the evaluation. Then, the fuzzy mathematical method is introduced to evaluate the measure effect of rubble roadbed engineering in permafrost regions along the Chadaer-Muli Railway. Results show that most of the permafrost roadbed is in a preferable condition(b) along the Chaidaer-Muli Railway due to rubble engineering measures. This proportion reaches to 86.1%. The proportion in good(a), general(c) and poor states(d) are 0.0%, 7.5% and 6.4%, respectively, in all the evaluation sections along the Chaidaer-Muli Railway. Ground-temperature monitoring results are generally consistent with AHP-FUZZY evaluation results. This means that the AHP-FUZZY method can be applied to evaluate the effect of rubble roadbed engineering measures in permafrost regions. The effect evaluation of engineering measures will provide timely and effective feedback information for further engineering design. The series of engineering measures will more effectively protect permafrost stability.     

Utilizing natural cryogenic resources to improve the stability of natural-technical systems in the permafrost zone

Siberia and the Russian Far East contain about 75% of the country''s hydrocarbon and mineral resources. These regions pose many engineering and environmental problems for economic development due to the cold climate and difficult geologic conditions, including the occurrence of permafrost. One of the major challenges in permafrost areas is to maintain the stability of both individual structures and large-scale engineering projects. The use of natural cryogenic resources of the Earth is proposed here as one possible solution.     

抗腐性氯氧镁水泥混凝土在高寒、高盐渍地区的研究及应用

本文主要介绍了氯氧镁水泥(MOC)混凝土的抗腐性能和在高寒、高盐渍地区工程应用的力学性能变化规律。根据研究发现,砂浆MOC和MOC混凝土经过老卤浸泡后,力学性能没有明显的降低,得到了很好的保留,MOC具有一定的抗盐卤腐蚀性能;从MOC混凝土的路面应用得到MOC混凝土在养护7 d即达到工程强度,满足工程应用标准,且其强度在盐渍地区保持相对稳定,证明了混凝土MOC的工程应用价值及应用于西部高寒和高盐渍地区的潜力和应用前景。     

Application of p-y approach in analyzing pile foundations in frozen ground overlying liquefiable soils

Two major earthquakes in Alaska, namely the 1964 Great Alaska Earthquake and the 2002 Denali Earthquake, occurred in winter seasons when the ground crust was frozen. None of the then-existing foundation types was able to withstand the force from the lateral spreading of frozen crust. This paper presents results from the analysis of pile foundations in frozen ground overlying liquefiable soil utilizing the Beam-on-Nonlinear-Winkler-Foundation (BNWF) (or p-y approach). P-multipliers were applied on traditional sandy soil p-y curves to simulate soil strength degradation during liquefaction. Frozen soil p-y curves were constructed based on a model proposed in a recent study and the frozen soil mechanical properties obtained from testing of naturally frozen soils. Pile response results from the p-y approach were presented along with those from fluid-solid coupled Finite Element (FE) modeling for comparison purpose. Finally, the sensitivity of pile response to frozen soil parameters was investigated and a brief discussion is presented.     

Experimental study on DX pile performance in frozen soils under lateral loading

Experiments about working mechanism and mechanical characteristics of the DX model pile foundation under lateral dynamic and static loading were conducted by using a model system of the dynamic frozen ...     

Recent advances in precipitation-bias correction and application

Significant progresses have been made in recent years in precipitation data analyses at regional to global scales. This paper re-views and synthesizes recent advances in precipitation-bias corrections and applications in many countries and over the cold re-gions. The main objective of this review is to identify and examine gaps in regional and national precipitation-error analyses. This paper also discusses and recommends future research needs and directions. More effort and coordination are necessary in the determinations of precipitation biases on large regions across national borders. It is important to emphasize that bias cor-rections of precipitation measurements affect both water budget and energy balance calculations, particularly over the cold regions.