Study on Physical and Mechanical Properties of Clay Before and After Single Freeze-Thaw

Abstract

Previous research indicates that significant changes in engineering behavior of cohesive soils may occur if the soil undergoes cycles of freezing and thawing. Understanding this behavior would prove useful to engineering practice as soils are subjected to freeze-thaw cycles during construction or placement. This research study focused on the impact of a single freeze-thaw cycle on the characteristics of Shanghai quaternary Silt Soft Clay (SSSC). It was found that the changes in density and specific gravity were small, the water content and porosity ratio increased, the plastic limit stabilizes with liquid limit increasing, and the soil body was soft. The permeability coefficient increased and the permeability increased. The cohesion and internal friction angle of the clay after freezing and thawing slightly increased, the compression coefficient increased, the compression modulus decreased, the compressibility of the soil increased, and the clay had no confinement resistance after freezing and thawing. The compressive strength was only 1/3 to 1/2 of that of the undisturbed soil, and the intensity decay was obvious, and the sensitivity was reduced.