• Magazine of the Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.55-66
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• 1993

Upon freezing a soil swells due to phase change and its compression stress increase a lot. As the soil undergo thawing, however, it becomes a soft soil layer because the 'soil changes from a solid state to a plastic state. These changes are largely dependent on freezing temperature and repeated freezing-thawing cycle as well as the density of the soil and applied loading condition. This study was initiated to describe the effect of the freezing temperature and repeated freezing-thawing cycle on the unconfined compressive strength. Soil samples were collected at about 20 sites where soil structures were installed in Kangwon provincial area and necessary laboratory tests were conducted. The results could be used to help manage effectively the field structures and can be used as a basic data for designing and constructing new projects in the future. The results were as follows ; 1. Unconfined compressive strength decreased as the number of freezing and thawing cycle went up. But the strength increased as compression speed, water content and temperature decreased. The largest effect on the strength was observed at the first freezing and thawing cycle. 2. Compression strain went up with the increase of deformation speed, and was largely influenced by the number of the freezing-thawing cycle. 3. Secant modulus was responded sensitivefy to the material of the loading plates, increased with decrease of temperature down to - -10$^{\circ}$C, but was nearly constant below the temperature. Thixotropic ratio characteristic became large as compression strain got smaller and was significantly larger in the controlled soil than in the soil treated with freezing and thawing processes 4. Vertical compression strength of ice crystal(development direction) was 3 to 4 times larger than that of perpendicular to the crystal. The vertical compression strength was agreed well with Clausius-Clapeyrons equation when temperature were between 0 to 5C$^{\circ}$, but the strength below - 5$^{\circ}$C were different from the equation and showed a strong dependency on temperature and deformation speed. When the skew was less then 20 degrees, the vertical compression strength was gradually decreased but when the skew was higher than that, the strength became nearly constant. Almost all samples showed ductile failure. As considered above, strength reduction of the soil due to cyclic freezing-thawing prosses must be considered when trenching and cutting the soil to construct soil structures if the soil is likely subject to the processes. Especially, if a soil no freezing-thawing history, cares for the strength reduction must be given before any design or construction works begin. It is suggested that special design and construction techniques for the strength reduction be developed.

• International Journal of Highway Engineering
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.71-79
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• 2010

The influence of fines of the frost susceptibility of subgrade soils were established by laboratory freezing system test simulating closely the thermal conditions in the field. During the winter season, the climate is heavily influenced by the cold and dry continental high pressure. Because of siberian air mass, the temperature of January is $-6{\sim}-7^{\circ}C$ on average. This chilly weather generate the frost heaving by freezing the moisture of soil and damage potential of the road structure. In the freezing soil, the ice lenses increase the freeze portion of soil by absorbing the ground water with capillary action. However, the capillary characteristics differ from the sort of soil on the state of freezing condition. In the current design codes for anti-freezing layer, the thickness of anti freezing layer is calculated by freezing depth against the temperature condition. Therefore, they have a tendency of over-design and uniform thickness without the considerations of thermal stability, bearing capacity and frost susceptibility of materials. So, it is essential for studying the appropriateness and bearing capacity besides the seasonal and mechanical properties of pavement materials to take a appropriate and reasonable design of the road structure. In this Paper, the evaluation of frost susceptibility was conducted by means of the mechanical property test and laboratory freezing system apparatus. The temperature, heaving amount, heaving pressure and unfrozen water contents of soil samples, the subgrade soils of highway construction site, were measured to determine the frost susceptibility.

• Magazine of the Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.37 no.3_4
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• pp.61-71
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• 1995

Natural ground is a composite consisted of the three phases of water, air and soil paircies. Among the three components, water as a material is weU understood but soil particles are not in foundation engineering. Especially, weathered granite soil generally shows a large volumetric expansion when they freeze. And, the stability and durability of the soil have shown decreased with repetitive freezing and thawing processes. These unique charcteristics may cause various construction and management problems if the soil is used as a construction material and foundation layers. This project was initiated to investigate the soil's physical and engineering characteristics resulting from freezing and freezing-thawing processes. Research results may be used as a basic data in solving various problems related to the soil's unique characteristics. The following conclusions were obtained: The degree of decomposition of weathered granite soil in Kangwon-do was very different between the West and East sides of the divide of the Dae-Kwan Ryung. Soil particles distributed wide from very coarse to fine particles. Consistency could be predicted with a function of P200 as LL=0.8 P200+20. Permeability ranged from 10-2 to 10-4cm/sec, moisture content from 15 to 20% and maximum dry density from 1.55 to 1.73 g /cmΥ$^3$ By compaction, soil particles easily crushed, D50 of soil particles decreased and specific surface significantly increased. Shear characteristics varied wide depending on the disturbance of soil. Strain characteristics influenced the soil's dynamic behviour. Elastic failure mode was observed if strain was less than 1O-4/s and plastic failure mode was observed if strain was more than 10-2/s. The elastic wave velocity in the soil rapidly increased if dry density became larger than 1.5 g /cm$^3$ and these values were Vp=250, Vg= 150, respectively. Frost heave ratio was the highest around 0 $^{\circ}C$ and the maximum frost heave pressure was observed when deformation ratio was less than 10% which was the stability state of soil freezing. The state had no relation with frost depth. Over freezing process was observed when drainage or suction freezing process was undergone. Drainage freezing process was observed if freezing velocity was high under confined pressure and suction frost process was occurred if the velocity was low under the same confined process.