Effects of Freezing and Thawing on the Consolidation Settlement of Soils

The effects of freezing and thawing on consolidation parameters and other properties of soil were investigated experimentally. Samples of soils were collected in-situ and characterized in the laboratory. Index properties of soil samples were determined by conducting sieve analyses, hydrometer tests, specific gravity tests, and liquid limit, plastic limit, and shrinkage limit tests before and after 30 freezing-thawing cycles. Microstructure and elemental composition of the soil samples were determined by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis, respectively. To determine the effects of freezing thawing onto the consolidation parameters of soil, consolidation tests were conducted on the samples before and after the freezing-thawing cycles. After 30 freezing-thawing cycles, consolidation settlements increased by about 23%.