Fundamental research on the phenomenon of the thawing of the soils (VSS2001/503)
Overview
Background & policy context:
Surprisingly, the thawing of frost susceptible soils containing ice lenses has been only rare fundamental studies as he is the cause of damage to the most important buildings. The decrease in shear-induced melting of the lens is a phenomenon facture, and therefore expensive, affecting both infrastructure of roads and railways that the dangerous melting of mountain permafrost by global warming.
Objectives:
The research will try to explain, thermally, hydraulic machinery, how thoroughly ice lenses and how water from their melting is on the strength of the soil. It mainly uses for this:
- Tests to frost and thaw made in a large tri-axial cell (Ø 100 mm approx.) With temperature measurement in the unfrozen water content and capillary suctions cell developed for this research;
- Numerical simulations with a coupled models or (hydro-thermal coupling in particular).
This research follows the international trend of replacement of current empirical design methods of road or railway superstructures by rational methods based on mechanical laws of the continuum.
The results of this modeling should contribute to better understanding this phenomenon in practice and thus adapt our construction methods (standards for road construction for example) or prevention (melting of mountain permafrost) to this improved knowledge the phenomenon of melting of frozen ground.
Methodology:
Following steps will be provided during the project:
- The correct explanation of the physical phenomenon of thaw-thermally, hydraulics and mechanics.
- The application of the full phenomenon of melting ice lenses to real cases: infra-structures of roads or railways, initiation of debris flows during the melting of mountain permafrost.
- The results of this modelling should contribute to better understanding this phenomenon in practice and thus to adapt our construction methods (standards of road construction, for example) or prevention (melting of mountain permafrost) to the best knowledge of the phenomenon the melting of frozen ground.
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