Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

A frozen soil sampling technique for granular soils and thermal modeling

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Bulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study uses a new sampling approach to allow undisturbed sampling without damaging the natural conditions of granular soils, thanks to the artificial ground freezing (AGF) method via a double-independent closed-circulation mechanism, over a 48-h period at − 15 °C. The mechanical properties, textural characteristics, and freezing-thawing observations of three types of granular soils are investigated. The temperature distribution around freezing pipes, the shape of the frost line, and the degree of ice saturation were observed through a thermal simulation by a two-dimensional finite element analysis software, Plaxis 2D. The unconfined compressive strength and strain values of molded and cored specimens are compared. The coring samples are about 2.56 times stronger than the molded ones, depending on the method of soil sampling procedure in the same type of soil. The well-graded sandy samples (SW) achieve up to 1.05 and 2.95 MPa of force values in the molded and coring samples, respectively. Moreover, according to the types of soils, in the SW specimens, 1.57- and 1.39-fold strength values are obtained for poorly graded sand (SP) and well-graded gravel (GW) samples in the molded artificially frozen sampling process, respectively, as well as 1.17- and 1.09-fold strength increments in the coring frozen sampling process within the same order. The results of thermal module simulation nearly match those obtained using laboratory-based tests. The efficiency of the proposed sampling approach has been proven to represent actual on-site behavior. Besides, the strength results are perfect in this method with respect to traditional sampling methods.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14

Similar content being viewed by others

Data availability

The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Abbreviations

C ice :

Specific heat capacity of ice (kJ/t/°K)

C s :

Specific heat capacity of soil (kJ/t/°K)

C water :

Specific heat capacity of water (kJ/t/°K)

D 10 :

Effective particle size, 10% of the soil particles are finer than D10 size

D 30 :

Effective particle size, 30% of the soil particles are finer than D30 size

D 60 :

Effective particle size, 60% of the soil particles are finer than D60 size

E f,inc :

Rate of change in Young’s modulus with temperature (kN/(m2°K))

E f,ref :

Young’s modulus of frozen soil at a reference temperature (kN/m2)

e 0 :

Initial void ratio (%)

K 0 x ,0 z :

Unfrozen soil elastic compressibility coefficient in x and z directions

K x :

Horizontal permeability (m/day)

K y :

Vertical permeability (m/day)

T water :

Water temperature (K)

Ʋ f :

Poisson’s ratio of frozen soil

w 0 :

Initial water content (%)

w u :

Unfrozen water content (%)

α ice :

Thermal expansion coefficient of ice (1/°K)

α water :

Thermal expansion coefficient of water (1/°K)

α x ,y,z :

Thermal expansion coefficient of soil in x, y, and z directions (1/°K)

ɣ D :

Dense unit weight of soil (kN/m3)

ɣ L :

Loose unit weight of soil (kN/m3)

ɣ sat :

Saturated unit weight of soil (kN/m3)

ɣ unsat :

Unsaturated unit weight of soil (kN/m3)

ɣ water :

Unit weight of water (kN/m3)

λ s :

Thermal conductivity of soil (kW/m/°K)

λ ice :

Thermal conductivity of ice (kW/m/°K)

λ water :

Thermal conductivity of water (kW/m/°K)

ρ s :

Soil density (t/m3)

Day:

Time

K :

Temperature with Kelvin

kJ :

Energy

kN :

Force

kw :

Power

m :

Length

m 2, m 3 :

Surface, volume

t :

Mass

References

  • Abdullah GM (2022) Using Plaxis 2D finite element modeling to assess bearing capacity of Sultana’s soil in Najran Region, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Mater Today: Proceedings 49:2679–87. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matpr.2021.09.051

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Alfaro MC, Suiker ASJ, Verhoosel CV, De Borst R (2010) Numerical homogenization of cracking processes in thin fibre-epoxy layers. Eur J Mech A Solids 29(2):119–131. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.euromechsol.2009.09.006

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • ASTM C136 (2006) Standard test method for sieve analysis of fine and coarse aggregates West Conshohocken: ASTM International. https://doi.org/10.1520/C0136-06

  • ASTM D854–14 (2014) Standard test method for specific gravity of soil solids by water pycnometer West Conshohocken: ASTM International. https://doi.org/10.1520/D0854-14

  • ASTM D4254–16 (2016) Standard test methods for minimum index density and unit weight of soils and calculation of relative density West Conshohocken: ASTM International. https://doi.org/10.1520/D4254-16

  • ASTM D5520–18 (2018) Standard test method for laboratory determination of creep properties of frozen soil samples by uniaxial compression West Conshohocken: ASTM International. https://doi.org/10.1520/D5520-18

  • ASTM D2434–22 (2022) Standard test methods for measurement of hydraulic conductivity of coarse-grained soils West Conshohocken: ASTM International. https://doi.org/10.1520/D2434-22

  • Auld FA, Belton J, Allenby D (2015) Geotechnical engineering for infrastructure and development. Application of artificial ground freezing. ICE Publishing, Institution of Civil Engineers 3(121):901-906. https://doi.org/10.1680/ecsmge.60678

  • Baker TH, Jones SJ, Parameswaran VR (1982) Confined and unconfined compression tests on frozen sands. The Roger JE Brown Memorial Volume. In: Proceedings Fourth Canadian Permafrost Conference, Calgary, Alberta, Canada 387–392

  • Barry-Macaulay D, Bouazza A, Singh RM, Wang B, Ranjith PG (2013) Thermal conductivity of soils and rocks from the Melbourne (Australia) region. Eng Geol 164:131–138. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2013.06.014

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brinkgreve RBJ, Broere D, Waterman D (2008) Plaxis 2D version 9.0 manual. Plaxis Company, Delft, Western Netherlands

  • Castelnau O, Duval P, Montagnat M, Brenner R (2008) Elastoviscoplastic micromechanical modeling of the transient creep of ice. J Geophys Res Solid Earth 113(B11). https://doi.org/10.1029/2008JB005751

  • Chen C, Guo W, Jia R et al (2013) Hole bottom freezing cord coring drill and coring method thereof. China Patent CN101864916A

  • Carroll R, Long M (2017) Sample disturbance effects in silt. J Geotech Geoenviron Eng 143:04017061. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0001749

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Casini F, Gens A, Olivella S, Viggiani GM (2014) Artificial ground freezing of a volcanic ash: laboratory tests and modelling. Environ Geotech 3(3):141–54. https://doi.org/10.1680/envgeo.14.00004

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cid Alfaro MV, Suiker ASJ, De Borst R (2010) Transverse failure behavior of fiber-epoxy systems. J Compos Mater 44(12):1493–1516. https://doi.org/10.1177/0021998309360941

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Das BM, Sivakugan N (2018) Principles of foundation engineering. 9th ed. Cengage Learning

  • Eppelbaum L, Kutasov I, Pilchin A (2014) Thermal properties of rocks and density of fluids. Appl geothermics 99–149. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-34023-9_2

  • Evirgen B, Tuncan M, Tuncan A (2015) Stress-strain characteristics of frozen silty and clayey soils. In: Proceedings of the Twenty-fifth International Ocean and Polar Engineering Conference. the International Society of Offshore and Polar Engineers, Cupertino, California, USA 1798–1802

  • Evirgen B (2019) An undisturbed sampling method for granular soils. 8th International Geotechnical Symposium: International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, Istanbul, Turkey

  • Evirgen B, Tuncan M (2019) A physical soil freezing model for laboratory applications. Cold Reg Sci Technol 159:29–39. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coldregions.2018.12.005

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Evirgen B (2021) Comparison of individual and sequential copper piping systems in an experimental artificial ground freezing model. Arab J Geosci 14(11):1–12. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-021-07305-x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Evirgen B, Tuncan M, Tuncan A (2021) Undisturbed sampler for granular soil. United States Patent US11142982

  • Govaert LE, Timmermans PHM, Brekelmans WAM (2000) The influence of intrinsic strain softening on strain localization in polycarbonate: modeling and experimental validation. J Eng Mater Technol 122(2):177–185. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.482784

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ghoreishian ASA, Grimstad G, Aukenthaler M, Panagoulias S, Brinkgreve RBJ, Haxaire A (2016) The frozen and unfrozen soil model. Plaxis Company, Delft, Western Netherlands

  • Hani M, Evirgen B (2023) The mechanical and microstructural properties of the artificially frozen sawdust-ice mixtures (Pykrete) and its usability as a retaining structure. Int J Civ Eng 21(1):119–134. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40999-022-00751-y

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jin X, Yang W, Gao X, Zhao JQ, Li Z, Jiang J (2020) Modeling the unfrozen water content of frozen soil based on the absorption effects of clay surfaces. Water Resour Res 56(12):e2020WR027482. https://doi.org/10.1029/2020WR027482

  • Johnston GH (1981) Permafrost: engineering design and construction. J. Toronto, Wiley (editor) New Jersey, United States

  • Kershah T, Anderson PD, van Breemen LC (2020) Uniaxial and biaxial response of anisotropic polypropylene. Macromol Theory Simul 29(4):2000018. https://doi.org/10.1002/mats.202000018

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kong B, He S, Xia T, Ding Z (2021) Research on microstructure of soft clay under various artificial ground freezing conditions based on NMR. Appl Sci 11(4):1810. https://doi.org/10.3390/app11041810

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lackner R, Pichler C, Kloiber A (2008) Artificial ground freezing of fully saturated soil: viscoelastic behavior. J Eng Mech 134(1):1–11. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9399(2008)134:1(1)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lunne T, Berre T, Strandvik S (1997) Sample disturbance effects in soft low plastic Norwegian clay. Symposium on Recent Developments in Soil and Pavement Mechanic: The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine 81-102, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

  • McGuire PL, Barraclough BL (1983) Method and apparatus for recovering unstable cores. United States Patent US4371045A

  • Micha VDS (2019) PLAXIS 2D Tutorial 18: freeze pipes in tunnel construction. Plaxis Company, Delft, Western Netherlands

  • Neil S, Peter FP, Ray F (2018) Temporary works: artificial ground freezing, 2nd edn. ICE Publishing, Institution of Civil Engineers, London, United Kingdom. https://doi.org/10.1680/twse.63389.117

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Nybo MS (2017) An experimental study of unfrozen water content in fine grained permafrost soils. Norwegian University of Science and Technology NTNU, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Trondheim, Norway

    Google Scholar 

  • Papakonstantinou S, Anagnostou G, Pimentel E (2013) Evaluation of ground freezing data from the Naples subway. Proc Inst Civ Eng: Geotech Eng 166(3):280–98. https://doi.org/10.1680/geng.10.00099

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peppin SS, Style RW (2013) The physics of frost heave and ice-lens growth Vadose Zone J 12(1). https://doi.org/10.2136/vzj2012.0049

  • Pimentel E, Sres A, Anagnostou G (2012) Large-scale laboratory tests on artificial ground freezing under seepage-flow conditions. Geotechnique 62(3):227–241. https://doi.org/10.1680/geot.9.P.120

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peng Y, Luo Y, He H, Willing H, Yin Y (2013) Hydraulic down-hole refrigerator. China Patent CN102494428A

  • Sayles FH, Epanchin NV (1966) Rate of strain compression tests on frozen Ottawa sand and ice. US Army CREEL, Tech. Note, Hanover

  • Suiker ASJ, Turteltaub S (2007a) Crystalline damage growth during martensitic phase transformations. Philos Mag 87(32):5033–5063. https://doi.org/10.1080/14786430701601767

  • Suiker AS, Turteltaub S (2007b) Numerical modelling of transformation-induced damage and plasticity in metals. Model Simul Mat Sci Eng 15(1):S147. https://doi.org/10.1088/0965-0393/15/1/S13

  • Sun Y, Jia R, Wang Y et al (2015) Liquid nitrogen hole bottom freezing rope core drilling tool and coring method. China Patent CN102943641A

  • Sun Y, Guo W, Chistyakov VK, Chen C, Zhang Z, Xue J (2011) Sampling method and sampler for gas hydrates by hole bottom freezing. United States Patent US8074739B2

  • Tervoort TA, Klompen ETJ, Govaert LE (1996) A multi-mode approach to finite, three-dimensional, nonlinear viscoelastic behavior of polymer glasses. J Rheol 40(5):779–797. https://doi.org/10.1122/1.550755

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tervoort TA, Smit RJM, Brekelmans WAM, Govaert LE (1997) A constitutive equation for the elasto-viscoplastic deformation of glassy polymers. Mech Time Depend Mater 1:269–291. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1009720708029

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tian BQ, Kong YL, Gong YL, Ye CT, Pang ZH, Wang JY, Qin PR (2020) Thermal conductivity characterisation of shallow ground via correlations with geophysical parameters. Eng Geol 272:105633. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2020.105633

  • Tsytovich NA (1975) The mechanics of frozen ground. Scripta Book Company, McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York, United States 413-421

  • Van Breemen LCA, Klompen ETJ, Govaert LE, Meijer HEH (2011) Extending the EGP constitutive model for polymer glasses to multiple relaxation times. J Mech Phys Solids 59(10):2191–2207. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmps.2011.05.001

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van Geen A, Bostick B, Manning C (2014) Peltier freeze-shoe sampler to recover aquifer sediment and groundwater. United States Patent US20120167698A1

  • Watanabe K, Mizoguchi M (2002) Amount of unfrozen water in frozen porous media saturated with solution. Cold Reg Sci Technol 34(2):103–10. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0165-232X(01)00063-5

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wu D, Lai Y, Zhang M (2015) Heat and mass transfer effects of ice growth mechanisms in a fully saturated soil. Int. J Heat Mass Transf 1(86):699–709. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2015.03.044

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wu ZW, Zhang JY (1983) Strength and failure behavior of frozen soils. In: Proceedings of 2nd Chinese Permafrost Conference, Lanzhou, China 275–280 (in Chinese)

  • Yamamoto Y, Springman SM (2017) Three-and four-point bending tests on artificial frozen soil samples at temperatures close to 0 C. Cold Reg Sci Technol 134:20–32. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coldregions.2016.11.003

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yin Q, Andò E, Viggiani G, Sun W (2022) Freezing-induced stiffness and strength anisotropy in freezing clayey soil: theory, numerical modeling, and experimental validation. Int J Numer Anal Methods Geomech 46(11):2087–114. https://doi.org/10.1002/nag.3380

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhou J, Zhao W, Tang Y (2022) Practical prediction method on thaw deformation of soft clay subject to artificial ground freezing based on elaborate centrifuge modeling experiments. Tunn Undergr Space Technol 122:104352. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tust.2021.104352

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil Engineering, Eskisehir Technical University, 26555, Eskisehir, Türkiye

    Mostefa Hani & Burak Evirgen

Authors
  1. Mostefa Hani
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Burak Evirgen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Burak Evirgen.

Supplementary Information

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary file1 (AVI 63495 KB)

Supplementary file2 (AVI 63495 KB)

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Hani, M., Evirgen, B. A frozen soil sampling technique for granular soils and thermal modeling. Bull Eng Geol Environ 82, 354 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-023-03372-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-023-03372-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation