A NEW MODEL OF FROST HEAVE PREDICTION FOR CLAYEY SOILS

After analysing the results of systematic experimental research on frost susceptibility tests, a new frost heave prediction model, including the heave ratio η and rate R, is first proposed in this paper. Six main factors influencing frost heave are considered: initial water content W, initial dry unit weight γd, frost penetration rate Vf, groundwater level Hw, plasticity index Ip and ion content S. The model could be expressed by: η= B0WB1γBd2VB31·exp(B4Hw)exp(B5Ip)exp(B6S) and R = B’0WB’1γB’2dexp(B’3Hw)exp(B’4Ip)exp(B’5S) with a good reliability, where B0 to B6 and B’0 to B’5 are the characteristic constants of clayey soils. The effect of each factor on frost susceptibility of soils is discussed also.