Experimental study of water redistribution in soft clay during horizontal freezing

IF 3.8 2区工程技术 Q1 ENGINEERING, CIVIL

Cold Regions Science and Technology Pub Date : 2025-04-01 DOI:10.1016/j.coldregions.2025.104511

Hu Zhang , Jintao Hu , Bo Zheng , Lijun Xing , Suiqiao Yang , Yuxuan Dong

{"title":"Experimental study of water redistribution in soft clay during horizontal freezing","authors":"Hu Zhang , Jintao Hu , Bo Zheng , Lijun Xing , Suiqiao Yang , Yuxuan Dong","doi":"10.1016/j.coldregions.2025.104511","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Horizontal frost heave disasters frequently occur in cold-region engineering projects, making it essential to understand water migration mechanisms along horizontal directions during freezing processes. Using a self-developed one-dimensional visualization horizontal freezing apparatus, unidirectional horizontal freezing tests were conducted on soft clay under varying temperature gradients, and the development process of the cryostructures was continuously observed. The results indicate that the thermal-hydraulic processes, including temperature evolution, water content variation, pore-water pressure dynamics, and soil pressure changes, demonstrate similarities to vertical freezing patterns, with temperature gradients primarily influencing the magnitude of parameter variations. Under the influence of gravity, the freezing front forms an angle with the freezing direction, attributed to differential freezing rates within soil strata. Post-freezing analysis showed dual-directional water redistribution (horizontal and vertical), with horizontal migration dominating. Maximum water content was observed 1–3 cm from the freezing front. Distinct cryostructures formed in frozen zones were identified as products of tensile stresses generated by low-temperature suction and crystallization forces. The study highlights the coupling of water transfer, thermal changes, mechanical stresses, and structural evolution during freezing and suggests that water migration and cryostructure formation are interrelated processes. This research provides robust experimental evidence for advancing the theoretical framework of horizontal water migration mechanisms in frozen soil systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10522,"journal":{"name":"Cold Regions Science and Technology","volume":"236 ","pages":"Article 104511"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8000,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Cold Regions Science and Technology","FirstCategoryId":"5","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165232X25000941","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"ENGINEERING, CIVIL","Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Abstract

Horizontal frost heave disasters frequently occur in cold-region engineering projects, making it essential to understand water migration mechanisms along horizontal directions during freezing processes. Using a self-developed one-dimensional visualization horizontal freezing apparatus, unidirectional horizontal freezing tests were conducted on soft clay under varying temperature gradients, and the development process of the cryostructures was continuously observed. The results indicate that the thermal-hydraulic processes, including temperature evolution, water content variation, pore-water pressure dynamics, and soil pressure changes, demonstrate similarities to vertical freezing patterns, with temperature gradients primarily influencing the magnitude of parameter variations. Under the influence of gravity, the freezing front forms an angle with the freezing direction, attributed to differential freezing rates within soil strata. Post-freezing analysis showed dual-directional water redistribution (horizontal and vertical), with horizontal migration dominating. Maximum water content was observed 1–3 cm from the freezing front. Distinct cryostructures formed in frozen zones were identified as products of tensile stresses generated by low-temperature suction and crystallization forces. The study highlights the coupling of water transfer, thermal changes, mechanical stresses, and structural evolution during freezing and suggests that water migration and cryostructure formation are interrelated processes. This research provides robust experimental evidence for advancing the theoretical framework of horizontal water migration mechanisms in frozen soil systems.

查看原文本刊更多论文

软黏土水平冻结过程中水重分布的试验研究

水平冻胀灾害是寒区工程项目中经常发生的灾害，了解冻结过程中水沿水平方向的运移机理是十分必要的。利用自行研制的一维可视化水平冻结装置，对软粘土进行了不同温度梯度下的单向水平冻结试验，并连续观察了冻融结构的发展过程。结果表明：温度演化、含水率变化、孔隙水压力动态和土压力变化等热力-水力过程与垂直冻结模式相似，温度梯度主要影响参数变化幅度；在重力作用下，冻结锋与冻结方向形成一定角度，这是由于土层内冻结速率的差异造成的。冻结后分析显示水的双向再分配（水平和垂直），以水平迁移为主。在距冻结锋1 ~ 3cm处观察到最大含水量。在冰冻区形成的独特的低温结构被认为是低温吸力和结晶力产生的拉应力的产物。研究强调了冻结过程中水迁移、热变化、机械应力和结构演化的耦合作用，表明水迁移和冰冻结构的形成是相互关联的过程。该研究为推进冻土系统水平水分迁移机制的理论框架提供了有力的实验证据。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

求助全文

约1分钟内获得全文求助全文

来源期刊

Cold Regions Science and Technology 工程技术-地球科学综合

CiteScore

7.40

自引率

12.20%

发文量

209

审稿时长

4.9 months

期刊介绍： Cold Regions Science and Technology is an international journal dealing with the science and technical problems of cold environments in both the polar regions and more temperate locations. It includes fundamental aspects of cryospheric sciences which have applications for cold regions problems as well as engineering topics which relate to the cryosphere. Emphasis is given to applied science with broad coverage of the physical and mechanical aspects of ice (including glaciers and sea ice), snow and snow avalanches, ice-water systems, ice-bonded soils and permafrost. Relevant aspects of Earth science, materials science, offshore and river ice engineering are also of primary interest. These include icing of ships and structures as well as trafficability in cold environments. Technological advances for cold regions in research, development, and engineering practice are relevant to the journal. Theoretical papers must include a detailed discussion of the potential application of the theory to address cold regions problems. The journal serves a wide range of specialists, providing a medium for interdisciplinary communication and a convenient source of reference.