The freeze-thaw cycles-time analogy method for forecasting long-term frozen soil strength

Abstract

Abstract To determine the stability of a frozen soil structure, the soil’s long-term shear strength must first be determined. Freeze-thaw cycling is a weathering process in soil (i.e., a process of energy input and output). In cold climates, the freeze-thaw cycle (FTC) has a great influence on long-term strength and stability of soil, which are important considerations for frozen soil engineering. This paper offers a brief introduction to the spherical template indenter and introduces the FTC-time analogy method for forecasting long-term strength of frozen soil. Using the number of cycle repetitions (numbers of freeze-thaw cycles) and the cycle duration (minutes), we calculate the long-term strength of the curve family and their normalized curves, which allows us to predict the long-term frozen soil deformation and strength. Because of the soil transformation that occurs due to the number of repetitions and the duration of FTCs, the results of earlier research can be compared. The FTC-time analogy method can be used to solve problems of forecasting long-term frozen soil strength, as well as for research concerning frozen soil engineering.