Geotextiles to Mitigate Frost Effects in Soils: A Critical Review

Abstract

The use of geotextiles to mitigate frost effects in soils has been studied, but few techniques have been developed. Guidelines developed for the placement of granular capillary barriers are presented to serve as preliminary guidelines for geotextile capillary barriers. Laboratory research shows that pore size distribution, wettability, and, for some geotextiles, thickness influence capillary barrier performance in a given soil. Geotextiles that easily wet do not reduce frost heave and may even exacerbate it. On the basis of the literature reviewed, guidance for selection of geotextile capillary barriers in field trials is given. If geotextiles function as capillary barriers during freezing and reinforce or separate and filter the subgrade at the base course interface during thaw, then the potential exists for their use in a combination of functions to reduce frost-related damage in geotechnical structures. It was found that properly designed geotextiles have the potential to reduce frost heave by functioning as capillary barriers, they can be filters for capillary barriers, and they can provide reinforcement or separation or filtration (or all of these) of the subgrade soil to reduce thaw-related damage.