• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.25 no.7
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• pp.21-27
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• 2024

Frost heave, a significant engineering aspect of frozen ground, leads to various damages in Korea during the winter. Both the United States and Japan, encompassing regions with frozen ground, have actively researched frost heave and possess standardized experimental methods. Particularly, the Japanese Geotechnical Society (JGS) has introduced a frost heave standard testing method, offering the advantage of relatively simple specimen preparation and experimental procedures. However, issues persist regarding the ambiguous engineering interpretation of frost heave test results and the lack of clear criteria for frost heave susceptibility assessment. This paper presents laboratory testing results following the JGS testing method on sand and silt mixtures using a triaxial temperature-controllable cell, and thoroughly analyzes the frost heave rate calculation process. Furthermore, it evaluates the applicability of frost heave susceptibility criteria proposed in the United States to frost heave rates based on the JGS testing method.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.13 no.12
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• pp.5-16
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• 2012

The second scientific antarctic station of South Korea is under construction at Terra Nova Bay located in eastern Antarctica. Ground condition in the Antarctica is frozen in general, but there are seasonal frozen grounds with active layers sporadically. When the active layer is frozen, frost heaving occurs that might cause the differential movement of frozen ground and the failure of structures. Therefore, it is necessary to determine the frost heaving susceptibility of soils at Terra Nova Bay before starting antarctic station construction. This study presents experimental investigation of the frost heaving susceptibility of soil samples with variation of particle sizes and unfrozen water contents. The soil samples were taken from five different locations at Terra Nova Bay and physical properties, unfrozen water content, and frost heaving tests were performed. For the frost heaving tests, soil specimens were frozen with constant freezing temperatures at the top and with drainage at the bottom in order to stimulate the frost heaving. The frost heaving tests provide volume expansion, volumetric strain, and heaving rate which can be used to analyze the relationship between the frost heaving vs. particle size and the frost heaving vs. unfrozen water content. Experimental results show that the more the fine contents exist in soils, the more frost heaving occurs. In addition, the frost heaving depends on unfrozen water content. Experimental data can be used to evaluate the frost heaving susceptibility of soils at the future construction site in the Antarctica.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.39 no.7
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• pp.39-48
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• 2023

Over 100 countries have conducted research on experimental testing methods to assess the frost susceptibility of soils. This study aims to prevent structural damage caused by frost heave. Notably, the United States and Japan, which encompass cold regions such as Alaska and Hokkaido, have actively pursued frost heave research. Through laboratory investigations and field applications, standard testing methods and criteria for evaluating frost susceptibility have been established. However, these methods are complex and their engineering explanations are vague. This study closely compares and analyzes the frost-susceptibility testing methods proposed by ASTM and JGS, considering temperature conditions, specimen size, freezing direction, and drainage conditions. By conducting this comparative analysis, this study aims to shed light on the similarities and differences between the two methods. Furthermore, based on the findings, this study proposes future research guidance for refining frost-susceptibility testing methods and criteria.

• Journal of the Korean Geosynthetics Society
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.93-103
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• 2011

In order to design suitable geo-structures in cold region, it is generally required to consider the mechanical properties of permafrost soils. 'Frost heave' as one of the primary phenomenon is considered to be an important factor together with 'adfreeze bond-strength' and 'creep deformation' for structural design process in permafrost area. Therefore, the fundamental study for frost heave has to be preceded for design of geo-structures in cold region. While various experimental apparatuses have been developed, there still exist a certain level of limitation to evaluate the frost-heave characteristics as design parameters. In this paper, a new type of experimental apparatus is proposed to evaluate the engineering characteristics of frost heave in permafrost soils and a set of verification test results is presented. Based on the verification tests, the proposed apparatus is a suitable to obtain frost characteristics of soils.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.23-31
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• 2016

Nowadays abnormal coldness happens frequently in Korea and frost heaving causes unexpected ground deformation which results in severe problems for structures such as roadway, railroad and cutoff slope. 'Frost heave' as one of the primary phenomenon is considered to be an important factor together with 'adfreeze bond-strength' and 'creep deformation' for structural design process in permafrost area. Therefore, the fundamental study for frost heave has to be preceded for design of geo-structures in cold region. While various experimental apparatuses have been developed, there still exist a certain level of limitation to evaluate the frost-heave characteristics as design parameters. There are no standard testing method and criteria for analyzing frost heaving in Korea because temperature controlled testing apparatuses including a freezing chamber are expensive. In this paper, a new standard freezing and thawing testing apparatus is introduced, which simulates various freezing and thawing conditions in a soil specimen by using a temperature controlled triaxial cell. Frost heaving tests were performed to assess the new testing apparatus and experimental procedure to evaluate frost heaving for soils is proposed.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.5-14
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• 2010

Three years of frost heave field experiments were conducted to evaluate a method for reducing heave using a recycled tire powder-soil mixture. By mixing Tomakomai soil with 20% recycled tire powder, frost heave amount was drastically decreased. The results of the field experiment confirm that recycled tire powder is an excellent material for use in controlling the total amount of heave. The restraining effect of a recycled tire powder-soil mixture is qualitatively analyzed based on amount of frost heave, frost heave ratio, thermal conductivity, permeability and segregation potential theory.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.65-74
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• 2003

Most of land reclamation projects are being implemented along the south and west coastal lines of the Korean Peninsula. The earth structures and in-ground LNG tank, and buildings can be constructed using artificial freezing method on the reclaimed land to control the uplift pressure caused by capillary forces. In this study, upon freezing a saturated soil in a closed-system from the top, a considerable frost heaving pressure was developed. Decomposed granite soils, silty soil, and sandy soil were used in the laboratory freeze test which is sometimes subjected to thermal gradients under closed-systems. A major concern has been the ability to predict the frost heaving pressure over the results of relatively short-term laboratory tests. The frost heaving pressure arising within the soil samples and the temperature of the samples inside were monitored with time elapse. The degree of saturation versus heaving pressure curve is presented for each soil sample and the maximum pressure is closely related to this curve. TDR apparatus was used to measure the volumetric water content by the measurement of unfrozen water contents of frozen soils. Unfrozen water increased in soils containing a high percentage of fine-grained particles. In fine-grained soils with strong attractive farces between soil grains and water molecules, additional water is attracted into the pores leading to further volume changes and ice segregation.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.24 no.9
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• pp.41-46
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• 2023

Numerical analysis of frost heave is challenging due to the influence of soil and environmental factors. Thermo-hydromechanical coupled analysis relies heavily on excessive input variables and primarily focuses on validating clayey soils, so it is limited to frost susceptible silty soils. An empirical approach based on thermodynamics offers relatively simple frost heave analysis and the advantage of linking constitutive equations with frost heave to enable geomechanical interpretations. In this paper, we introduce an empirical numerical model using the Segregation Potential (SP) and evaluate reliability through comparative analysis with experimental results of frost susceptible silty soils. While the SP model enables frost heave analysis for the given silty soils, further investigation on various silty soils is necessary to gather data on key input variables.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.67-74
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• 2019

Frost heave is one of the representative engineering characteristics in cold regions. In South Korea, which is located in seasonal frost area, structural damage caused by frost heave and thaw happens and the need for research on the frost heave is increasing. In this paper, newly developed transparent temperature-controllable cell is used to focus on the frost heave. Frost susceptible artificial soil is used to analyze water intake rate which is one of the important factors in frost susceptibility criteria. Frost heave rate and water intake rate have similar behavior after heave by freezing of pore water converges. O-ring installed in the upper pedestal to measure water intake rate generates side friction between the inner wall of the freezing cell and O-ring, thereby hindering frost heave. Therefore, the frost susceptibility criteria using the water intake rate is not reliable. It is appropriate to use frost heave rate which has similar behavior with water intake rate. Frost heave tests were performed under two different specimen heights. Overburden pressure, temperature gradient and dry unit weight were set under similar state. Based on laboratory testing results, frost heave is independent on the specimen height.

• International Journal of Highway Engineering
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.99-106
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• 2010

Until now, the thickness design of anti-freezing layer has been empirically conducted using the frost depth determined from the freezing index. This approach cannot consider the structural properties of anti-freezing layer, which can cause the over-design of pavement structure. This paper presents results of structural evaluation of anti-freezing layer using the Falling Weight Deflectormeter (FWD) deflections. The FWD testing was directly conducted on top of the subbase layer located at the embankment, cutting, and boundary area of each section. It is observed from this testing that the center deflections of pavement structure with anti-freezing layer are smaller than those without anti-freezing layer. The deflection reduction rates are 15~55% in the embankment, 11~64% in the cutting, and 2~38% in the boundary, respectively. It was also found that the use of antifree zing layer enables to reduce the Surface Curvature Index (SCI) values up to 24 percent. Fatigue lives show that pavement structure with antifreezing layer are about two times higher than the those without anti-freezing layer. This fact indicates that the anti-freezing layer should be considered as a structural layer in the asphalt pavement system.