Stone movements and permeability changes in till caused by freezing and thawing

Abstract

Vertical uplifting of boulders and stones is well known to take place in cold regions. Movements of stones in roads might lead to traffic danger, vehicle failures, and cause breakdown of the road surface with the need of expensive repair as a consequence. In addition, freeze/thaw and associated stone movements may cause an increase in permeability, which can lead to contamination of soils and ground water if used as soil liners in landfill areas or even dam failures if used as hydraulic barriers in earth dams. Freeze/thaw tests were carried out in the laboratory on a silty sandy soil in order to study movements of embedded stones and to measure how the overall permeability was influenced by freeze/thaw cycles. The soil samples were compacted at three different water contents, i.e. 11.5% (optimum), 14.5%, and 17.5%. Each sample contained one stone, placed at a predetermined depth. The soil samples were subjected to one-dimensional open system freeze/thaw. Soil temperatures, volume changes, and stone movements were measured. The results showed that upward stone movements took place due to freeze/thaw in the frost susceptible soil compacted at and 3% above the optimum water content. In addition, the permeability increased in samples with initial water contents of 11.5% and 14.5%. This permeability increase was as much as 81 times after six freeze/thaw cycles. For the samples with initial water contents of 17.5%, very small changes in permeability were measured.