The prediction of the soil freezing characteristic curve using the soil water characteristic curve

Abstract

Soil-water characteristic curve (SWCC) and soil freezing characteristic curve (SFCC) describe the water-holding characteristics of the soil during drying (or wetting) and freezing (or thawing), respectively. However, the relationship between SWCC and SFCC remains unclear. In order to clarify their relationship, a theoretical model is established based on the Clapeyron equation, which is further examined by laboratory test results for several soils. The results demonstrate that the newly proposed theoretical model has wide adaptability to various soils. With this model, prediction of SWCC from SFCC can be easily achieved, and the problem of time-consuming can also be addressed. In addition, the prediction of SFCC from SWCC can also be achieved, overcoming the difficulty in accurately measuring SFCC for coarse soil (i.e., sand or gravel) due to the lack of high-precision temperature control methods.