Experimental study of the dynamic behavior of high-grade highway-subgrade soil in a seasonally frozen area

Regarding the freezing damage of high-grade highway subgrade in seasonally frozen area,the thesis explores the effect on the dynamic behavior of subgrade soil under freeze–thaw cycles and draws the change law of parameters(including dynamic strength,dynamic cohesion,and internal friction angle;and dynamic elastic modulus)of high-grade highway-subgrade soil with the number of freeze–thaw cycles.It aims to provide the reference for operation and maintenance of a high-grade highway.Conclusions:(1)Dynamic strength tends to decline evidently after freeze–thaw cycles,with 60%~70%decline after three cycles,and remains stable after five to seven cycles.(2)With the number of freeze–thaw cycles increasing,the internal friction angle fluctuates within a certain range without an obvious change law,only presenting the tendency of dropping off.The dynamic cohesion declines obviously,about 20%~40%after seven freeze–thaw cycles,and then tends to be stable.(3)With the number of freeze-thaw cycles increasing,the dynamic elastic modulus and maximum dynamic elastic modulus are inclined to decrease distinctly.After five freeze–thaw cycles,the former declines 30%~40%and then remains stable.Meanwhile,the latter falls 20%~40%.     

Wind tunnel simulation of the effects of freeze–thaw cycles on soil erosion in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau

Intense freezing and thawing actions occur in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau because of its high elevation and cold temperature. The plateau's unique environment makes it easy to generate wind erosion under dry, windy weather conditions, resulting in the emergence of desertification. As a major form of freeze–thaw erosion, freeze–thaw and wind erosion is displayed prominently on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau. Therefore, in this study, soil samples were collected from the surface of the plateau to undergo freeze–thaw and wind erosion simulation experiments. Results show that wind erosion strength increases with an increasing number of freeze–thaw cycles, water content in the freezing–thawing process, and the difference in freeze–thaw temperatures. Therefore, in the conditions of water participation, the main reason for the freeze–thaw and wind erosion in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau is the damage to the soil structure by repeated, fierce freeze–thaw actions, and the sand-bearing wind is the main driving force for this process. The research results have theoretical significance for exploring the formation mechanism of freeze–thaw and wind erosion in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau, and provide a scientific basis for freeze–thaw desertification control in the plateau.     

Use of a Probabilistic Neural Network to Reduce Costs of Selecting Construction Rock

Rocks used as construction aggregate in temperate climates deteriorate to differing degrees because of repeated freezing and thawing. The magnitude of the deterioration depends on the rock's properties. Aggregate, including crushed carbonate rock, is required to have minimum geotechnical qualities before it can be used in asphalt and concrete. In order to reduce chances of premature and expensive repairs, extensive freeze-thaw tests are conducted on potential construction rocks. These tests typically involve 300 freeze-thaw cycles and can take four to five months to complete. Less time consuming tests that (1) predict durability as well as the extended freeze-thaw test or that (2) reduce the number of rocks subject to the extended test, could save considerable amounts of money. Here we use a probabilistic neural network to try and predict durability as determined by the freeze-thaw test using four rock properties measured on 843 limestone samples from the Kansas Department of Transportation. Modified freeze-thaw tests and less time consuming specific gravity (dry), specific gravity (saturated), and modified absorption tests were conducted on each sample. Durability factors of 95 or more as determined from the extensive freeze-thaw tests are viewed as acceptable—rocks with values below 95 are rejected. If only the modified freeze-thaw test is used to predict which rocks are acceptable, about 45% are misclassified. When 421 randomly selected samples and all four standardized and scaled variables were used to train aprobabilistic neural network, the rate of misclassification of 422 independent validation samples dropped to 28%. The network was trained so that each class (group) and each variable had its own coefficient (sigma). In an attempt to reduce errors further, an additional class was added to the training data to predict durability values greater than 84 and less than 98, resulting in only 11% of the samples misclassified. About 43% of the test data was classed by the neural net into the middle group—these rocks should be subject to full freeze-thaw tests. Thus, use of the probabilistic neural network would meanthat the extended test would only need be applied to 43% of the samples, and 11% of the rocks classed as acceptable would fail early.     

Determination of long-term strength of frozen loess after numerous freeze-thaw cycles

In order to determine the changing rule of long-term frozen soil strength and elucidate the connection between long-term strength and soil physical properties,frozen loess was subjected to 4,6,8,10,and 50 freeze-thaw cycles,under closed-state conditions in a constant-temperature box.The frozen samples were tested on a spherical template indenter,and the results show that under the effect of repeated freeze-thaw cycles,the long-term strength of frozen loess decreased; changes in the mechanical property indices were highly unstable during the first 10 cycles; the soil strength and density were the greatest at the eighth cycle while the void ratio was the smallest; and after eight cycles all of the indices had less fluctuation and certain rising or falling tendencies.By converting the number of freeze-thaw cycles into elapsed time in the tests,three different forecasting methods of long-term soil strength could be assessed and the soil equivalent cohesive force after 10 years,20 years,or 30 years could be estimated.     

应用于滑坡的拉力型锚索失效机理

拉力型锚索常用于公路边坡支护工程中,在进行锚固体的结构设计时,注浆体与岩石粘结界面的强度往往被高度关注.在广泛调研西南山区失稳破坏的公路边坡时发现,拉力型锚索最为薄弱的部位并非注浆体与岩石粘结界面.因此,设计11种不同配合比的注浆体,将80根拉力型锚索锚固在软岩及硬岩中,采用拉拔试验对锚索的破坏模式进行研究.结果表明:拉力型锚索常见的破坏模式是钢绞线与注浆体之间的脱粘破坏.选择合理的力学计算模型,获得内锚固段两个粘结界面的应力分布弹性解,分析表明:钢绞线与注浆体粘结界面的峰值应力位于锚孔孔口处,应力分布不均匀程度高,致使孔口处的钢绞线注浆体粘结界面首先发生脱粘破坏,脱粘界面以渐进的方式向内锚固段末端传递,最终导致钢绞线从注浆体中旋转拔出.建议上述研究成果在以后的规范修订和锚固工程设计时引起足够的重视.最后,给出了一个钢绞线与注浆体脱粘破坏的工程实例.     

Laboratory and field performance of recycled aggregate base in a seasonally cold region

The objective of this project was to characterize the freeze-thaw properties of recycled concrete (RCA) and asphalt (RAP) as unbound base and to assess how they behaved in the field for nearly 8 years. This paper includes an examination of existing information, laboratory studies of freeze-thaw behavior, and evaluation of data from MnROAD field-test sections in a seasonally cold region, i.e., in Minnesota, USA. Test sections were constructed using recycled materials in the granular base layers at the MnROAD test facility. One test section included 100% RAP, another 100% RCA, a third one a 50/50 blend of RCA/natural aggregate, and a fourth one only natural aggregate (Class 5) as a control. The stiffness (i.e., elastic modulus) was monitored during construction and throughout the pavement life by the Minnesota Department of Transportation, along with the variation of temperatures and moisture regimes in the pavement to determine their effects on pavement performance. The resilient modulus of each material was determined by bench-scale testing in accordance with NCHRP 1-28a, as well as by field-scale tests incorporating a falling-weight deflectometer. Specimens were subjected to as many as 20 cycles of freeze-thaw in the laboratory, and the change in their resilient modulus was measured. In the field-test sections constructed with the same materials as the base course, temperature, moisture, and field modulus (from falling-weight deflectometer tests) were monitored seasonally for nearly 8 years. From the temperatures in the base course layer, the number of freeze-thaw cycles experienced in the field was determined for each test section. Inferences were made relative to modulus change versus freeze-thaw cycles. Conclusions were drawn for long-term field performances of the recycled base (RAB) in comparison to natural aggregate.     

Finite element analysis on deformation of highembankment in heavy-haul railway subjected to freeze-thaw cycles

Finiteelement simulations are increasingly providing a versatile environment for this topic. In this study, a two-dimensional finite element analysis is conducted to predict the deformation of highembankment in Bazhun heavy-haul railway, China. A recently developed nonlinear softening-type constitutive model is utilized to model the behavior of subgrade filling materials subjected to freeze-thaw cycles. For the convenience of practical application, the dynamic loading induced by a vehicle is treated as a quasi-static axle load. The deformation of this embankmentwith different moisture content under freeze-thaw cycles is compared. The results show that when subjected to the first freeze-thaw cycle, the embankmentexperienced significant deformation variations. Maximum deformation was usually achieved after the embankment with optimum moisture content experienced six freeze-thaw cycles, however, the embankment with moisture content of 8.0% and 9.5% deforms continuously even after experiencing almost ten freeze-thaw cycles. Overall, this study provides a simple nonlinear finite element approach for calculating the deformation of the embankmentinchanging climate conditions.     

Review of the influence of freeze-thaw cycles on the physical and mechanical properties of soil

Seasonally frozen soil is a four-phase material and its physical-mechanical properties are more complex compared to the unfrozen soil. Its physical properties changes during the freeze-thaw process; repeated freeze-thaw cycles change the characteristics of soil, which can render the soil from an unstable state to a new dynamic equilibrium state. The freezing process changes the structure coupled between the soil particle arrangements, which will change the mechanical properties of the soil. The method of significance and interaction between different factors should be considered to measure the influence on the properties of soil under freeze-thaw cycles.     

The influence of freeze-thaw cycles on the granulometric composition of Moscow morainic clay

The freeze-thaw cycling process considerably changes the composition,structure,and properties of soils.Since the grain size is the most important factor in determining soil characteristics,our current research primarily aims to investigate dynamic changes of the soil fraction when exposed to freeze-thaw conditions.We observed two series of Moscow morainic clayey specimens(g QmII):(I) the original series,and(II) the remolded series.We subjected each series of soil specimens to different frequencies of freeze-thaw cycles(3,6,20,and 40 cycles),and we used granulometric tests to analyze both series before and after exposure to freeze-thaw conditions.As a result of our experiments,the granulometric compositions tended to be distributed evenly after 40 freeze-thaw processes(i.e.,content of fraction for 0.1–0.05 mm was increased after 40 freeze-thaw cycles) because the division of coarse grains and the aggregation of fine grains were synchronized during the freeze-thaw process.The soil grains in both series changed bi-directionally.In the original series,changes of the sand grains were conjugated with the clay grains,and in the remolded series,changes of the sand grains were conjugated with the silt grains,because potential energy difference caused the division and aggregation processes to relate to the counteraction process.The even distribution of soil grain size indicated the state of equilibrium or balance.The granulometric compositions were altered the most during the sixth freeze-thaw cycle,because the coefficient of the intensity variation of the grain fineness(Kvar) had its maximum value at that time.     

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.     

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.     

Influence of repeated freeze-thaw on dynamic modulus and damping ratio properties of silty sand

Under repeated freezing and thawing in deep seasonal frozen regions, the stability and strength of the soil are imposed in the form of large uneven settlement, instability and strength reduction, which...     

基于ERA5-LAND的中国东北地区近地表土壤冻融状态时空变化特征

土壤冻融交替是陆地表层极其重要的物理过程,土壤冻融状态的频繁变化对地气能量交换、地表径流、植被生长、生态系统及土壤碳氮循环等均具有重要的影响。本文基于1981—2019年ERA5-LAND逐小时土壤温度数据,借助GIS空间分析功能,利用Python编程处理分析了中国东北地区近地表土壤冻融状态的时空变化特征。结果表明：从不同冻融状态起始日期的空间分布来看,近地表不同阶段的起始日期主要受纬度和地形的影响,具有明显的纬度地带性和垂直地带性。春季冻融过渡期和完全融化期的起始日期由东南向西北均呈逐渐推迟趋势,而秋季冻融过渡期与完全冻结期起始日期则由东南向西北随纬度升高越来越早。就不同冻融状态发生天数的空间分布而言,研究区南部春季冻融过渡期发生天数多于北部,西部多于东部,年均发生天数均在30 d以内;秋季发生冻融的天数空间差异不大,研究区一半以上的地区年均发生天数在10 d以内。完全融化期发生天数最多,从东南向西北呈逐渐减少趋势,年均发生天数主要介于150~240 d之间;完全冻结期发生天数则由南向北日益增多,其空间分布表现为一向南开口的簸箕形,各地年均发生天数集中于90~180 d之间。从时间变化趋势来看,近年来春季冻融过渡期起始日期以提前趋势为主,而秋季冻融过渡期起始日期总体表现为延后,致使完全融化期发生天数以增加趋势为主,年均变化速度高达0.2 d/a;大兴安岭以西、呼伦贝尔高原以北地区及辽河平原春季冻融过渡期发生天数呈减少趋势,其他地区为增加趋势;大兴安岭以西地区、呼伦贝尔高原以北地区完全融化期起始日期明显提前;松嫩平原和长白山区秋季冻融过渡期起始日期推迟显著,发生天数的变化趋势呈北增南减的空间分异特征;不同地区完全冻结期起始日期的变化趋势差异显著,中部广大的平原区呈不显著的推迟趋势,而大、小兴安岭、长白山、辽东半岛和辽西丘陵则提前进入完全冻结状态;研究区完全冻结期发生天数呈减少趋势,研究区中部的季节冻土区完全冻结期明显变短,年均减少速度大于0.2 d/a。     

Experimental investigation on static and dynamic resilient moduli of compacted fine soil

To investigate the static and dynamic resilient modulus of fine soil, and adapting to the new design code and maintenance system of highway subgrade in China, a series of static and dynamic tests were carried out according to the standard laboratory test methods (JTG E40-2007 and JTG D30-2015, respectively). The effects of initial water content, compactness and freeze-thaw cycles on the static and dynamic resilient moduli of fine soil were investigated and analyzed. Experimental test results show that with increasing water content, dry density and freeze-thaw cycles, the static moduli reduces about 10.2%~40.0%, 14.4%~45.5%, and 24.0%~50.3%, and dynamic moduli reduces about 10.9%~90.8%, 2.5%~38.4%, and 0.0%~46.0%, respectively. Then, the empirical mathematical relationship between static and dynamic resilient moduli was established under different water content, dry density and freeze-thaw cycles. The investigation results can be used to determine the dynamic modulus of fine soil by widely used static modulus, which could meet the requirement of adopting dynamic modulus index in new specification.     

Laboratory investigation on the mechanical behavior of ice-saturated frozen loess

To investigate the mechanical properties of ice-saturated frozen soil, a series of triaxial tests under various confining pressures（0.5 to 9.0 MPa） on ice-saturated frozen loess with ice content of 23.7% were carried out at a temperature-6 °C, and at 1.25 mm/min of loading rate. The triaxial tests include two loading modes, one with monotonic loading（i.e., triaxial compression）, and another with static cycle loading. The test results under triaxial compression show that the strength and deformation behaviors of ice-saturated frozen loess are affected by confining pressure. According to the test results of triaxial loading-unloading cycle test, the elastic modulus evolution with the number of cycles under different confining pressures are analyzed.     

Freeze-thaw processes of active-layer soils in the Nanweng'he River National Natural Reserve in the Da Xing'anling Mountains,northern Northeast China

The active-layer soils overlying the permafrost are the most thermodynamically active zone of rock or soil and play important roles in the earth-atmosphere energy system. The processes of thawing and freezing and their associated complex hydrothermal coupling can significantly affect variation in mean annual temperatures and the formation of ground ice in permafrost regions. Using soil-temperature and-moisture data obtained from the active layer between September 2011 and October 2014 in the permafrost region of the Nanweng'he River in the Da Xing'anling Mountains, the freeze-thaw characteristics of the permafrost were studied. Based on analysis of ground-temperature variation and hydrothermal transport characteristics, the thawing and freezing processes of the active layer were divided into three stages:(1) autumn-winter freezing,(2) winter freeze-up, and(3) spring-summer thawing. Variations in the soil temperature and moisture were analyzed during each stage of the freeze-thaw process, and the effects of the soil moisture and ground vegetation on the freeze-thaw are discussed in this paper. The study's results show that thawing in the active layer was unidirectional, while the ground freezing was bidirectional(upward from the bottom of the active layer and downward from the ground surface).During the annual freeze-thaw cycle, the migration of soil moisture had different characteristics at different stages. In general, during a freezing-thawing cycle, the soil-water molecules migrate downward, i.e., soil moisture transports from the entire active layer to the upper limit of the permafrost. In the meantime, freeze-thaw in the active layer can be significantly affected by the soil-moisture content and vegetation.     

生物土壤结皮对风沙土和黄绵土膨胀特性的影响

作为重要的土壤物理性质,膨胀性在影响土壤导水性、持水性、抗蚀性以及土壤结构的形成和发育等方面发挥着重要作用。为了探讨生物土壤结皮（BSCs）土壤的膨胀特性及其主要影响因素,针对黄土高原风沙土和黄绵土两种典型土壤,利用膨胀仪测定并比较了有、无藓结皮及其在不同因素（初始含水量、干湿循环、冻融循环、温度）下膨胀率的差异,分析了BSCs对土壤膨胀性的影响及其与环境因素和BSCs性质的关系。结果显示：风沙土上藓结皮的膨胀率为1.93%,较无结皮增加了8.65倍;而黄绵土上藓结皮的膨胀率为2.05%,与无结皮相比降低了76.68%。藓结皮的生物量和厚度与其膨胀率在风沙土上均呈线性正相关关系（P < 0.05）,在黄绵土上分别呈二次函数（P=0.02）和线性正相关关系（P=0.02）。初始含水量同时影响了土壤最大膨胀率和稳定膨胀时间,影响程度风沙土远大于黄绵土（包括藓结皮和无结皮）;干湿循环次数对无结皮土壤膨胀率的影响程度大于藓结皮土壤,其中风沙土和黄绵土上无结皮的膨胀率分别是50.00%~620.00%和-2.28%~10.81%,而两种土壤上藓结皮的膨胀率分别是-5.70%~10.88%和-10.24%~-21.46%;冻融循环下4种土壤的膨胀率均有不同程度的降低,降幅为0~18.54%。黄绵土无结皮的膨胀率受温度影响程度较大,50℃下黄绵土无结皮的膨胀率分别是25℃和35℃下的1.17倍和1.21倍。BSCs显著地改变了风沙土和黄绵土表层的膨胀性,其影响的程度和方向取决于土壤类型。同时,BSCs的膨胀性受含水量、温度、干湿以及冻融循环等关键因素影响。     

Rock weathering processes and landform development in the Sør Rondane Mountains, Antarctica

Field observations of weathering processes and the related landforms, combined with laboratory analyses of weathering products, permit a synthetic evaluation of Late Cenozoic weathering environments in the Sør Rondane Mountains, Antarctica, an arid upland characterized by low temperatures and strong winds. Rates and character of weathering depend mainly on moisture availability and the bedrock geology. Under the humid weathering regime that occurs only locally around the margin of the present sheet, frequent diurnal freeze-thaw cycles in summer cause relatively rapid rock fragmentation. Most of the mountains are situated in the arid weathering regime, under which rock breakdown is very slow unless the rock contains plenty of salts. Salt weathering becomes more intensive and extensive with exposure age, as a result of salt accumulation in rock, eventually producing soils as small as fine-silt size. Lack of clay mineralization even in weathered rocks having been exposed above the ice sheet prior to 4 Ma ago indicates that hydrolysis or carbonation of rock minerals has been insignificant during the past 4 Ma. The final products of weathering are due mainly to salt action and reflect the parent lithology. Resistant fine-grained granite forms strongly oxidized tors carved with tafoni, or fields of mushroom-like boulders overlying the fractured bedrock. Less resistant rocks, like biotite gneiss and amphibolite, produce stone pavements underlain by saline, silty soils up to 30–40 cm thick, the thickness of which corresponds to the maximum thaw depth.     

Study of polluted soil remediation based on freezing and thawing cycles

It is generally known that soil pollution poses a terrible hazard to the environment, but the present techniques of contaminated soil remediation cannot control this growing threat. This paper compares the pollutant extraction efficiency of traditional pumping and treating, which is a typical washing technology for the remediation of contaminated soils, with methods that utilize freeze-thaw cycles. In the soil freezing process, water shifts from unfrozen soils to the freezing front, and the permeability of soil will be enhanced under certain temperature gradients and water conditions. Therefore, this paper discusses the purification of contaminated soil through freeze-thaw action. We conducted a cleansing experiment on clay and silica sand infused with NaCl（simulation of heavy metals） and found that the efficiency of purification was enhanced remarkably in the latter by the freeze-thaw action. To assess the effective extraction of DNAPLs in soil, we conducted an experiment on suction by freezing, predicated on the different freezing points of moisture and pollutants. We found that the permeability coefficient was significantly increased by the freezing-thawing action, enabling the DNAPL contaminants to be extracted selectively and effectively.     

The influence of snow cover on ground freeze-thaw frequency,intensity, and duration: An experimental study conducted in coastal northern Sweden

The impact of snow cover on seasonal ground frost and freeze-thaw processes is not yet fully understood. The authors therefore examined how snow cover affects seasonal ground frost in a coastal setting in northern Sweden. Air and soil temperatures were recorded in a paired-plot experiment, both with and without snow cover, during the frost season 2012–2013. The frequency, duration, and intensity of the freeze-thaw cycles during the frost season were calculated. The results showed that the freeze-thaw frequency was 57% higher at the soil surface and the intensity 10 °C colder in the spring of 2013, when the ground lacked snow cover. Furthermore, the duration of the seasonal freeze-thaw cycle was 30 days longer on average in cases where there was natural snow accumulation. The correlation between air and ground surface temperatures weakened with increased snow-cover depth. The authors conclude that continued increases in air temperature and decreases in snow in coastal northern Sweden might alter freeze-thaw cycles and thus affect natural and human systems such as geomorphology, ecology, spatial planning, transport, and forestry.