Cyclic freeze–thaw as a mechanism for water and salt migration in soil

Hui Bing,Ping He,Ying Zhang

doi:10.1007/s12665-015-4072-9

Hui Bing, Ping He + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-015-4072-9

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Abstract

Freeze–thaw action acts as a controlling mechanism for redistributing soil water and salt. The paper focuses on the factors that influence soil water and salt migration and uses experimental results to analyze the mechanism of cyclic freeze–thaw in which the temperature gradient is the principal factor for water and salt transfer. Salt redistribution in soil occurs as a result of the integrated effects of convection, diffusion, and numerous chemical and physicochemical processes.

Highlights

Factors influencing water migration in frozen soilWater and salt movement during cyclic freeze–thaw is a fundamental issue in geocryology
The paper focuses on the factors that influence soil water and salt migration and uses experimental results to analyze the mechanism of cyclic freeze–thaw in which the temperature gradient is the principal factor for water and salt transfer
In order to control the further trend of salinization in mid-latitudes, the main objective of this research is to study the mechanism of water and salt transfer during the cyclic freeze–thaw which is very useful on the theory and practice

Summary

Introduction

Factors influencing water migration in frozen soilWater and salt movement during cyclic freeze–thaw is a fundamental issue in geocryology. Yershov (1995) explains the water transfer by changes in the surface energy of soil particles The existence of such water migration in frozen soil is established in numerous publications (Anderson and Tice 1972; Williams and Smith 1989; Yershov 1998). This has been proven wrong (Rempel et al 2001). The Gibbs–Thomson effect does play an important role in fluid flow It can been seen obviously from the effect that the water migration is predominantly affected by temperature, the initial moisture content of soil, salt content, and soil structure (Xu et al 1987). The micro mechanism of water migration include the adsorptive ability of the hydrogen bond, the difference of saturation vapor pressure, and capillary mechanisms (Na and Xu 1996)

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