Flexural behavior of frozen soil

Abstract

Plain and reinforced frozen sand beams were loaded incrementally in pure bending at −6 and −10 °C. For plain beams, the deflection rate (during secondary creep) showed a linear relationship with applied load on a log–log scale while experimental results of beams reinforced with a single 4.76 mm diameter steel bar showed a bilinear relationship. The observed deflection behavior was a result of the combined effects of soil creep in tension, compression, and adfreeze bond at the reinforcement/frozen soil interface.To analyze the flexural behavior of frozen soil, one-dimensional finite elements with different creep properties in tension and in compression were used in conjuction with the power creep law or the hyperbolic sine creep law. For the secondary creep condition and the power creep law, analytical solutions for frozen soil beam behavior are presented. Numerical results indicate reasonable agreement with experimental results. Key words: adfreeze bond, creep properties, flexural strength, frozen soils, reinforced earth.