Analysis and discussion of different methods of artificial ice-high specimen preparation

Because ice-high foundation soil is widely distributed in permafrost regions,the correct preparation of ice-high specimens is of critical interest in engineering design for foundation stability.Past research has shown that the uniaxial compression strength of ice-high frozen soils changes as the ice or total water content increases; the differences of different methods of specimen preparation are analyzed here and the advantages and disadvantages of them are presented.It is confirmed that the role of crushed ice is significantly different from that of naturally frozen ice in frozen soils,and the size and amount of crushed ice will influence the strength and deformation mechanism of frozen soils.Therefore,it is strongly recommended that when a ice-high specimen is artificially prepared,the ice should be frozen through natural means and not be replaced with crushed ice.