Surface crack evolution patterns in freeze-thaw damage of fissured rock bodies

To explore the effects of freeze‒thaw cycles on the mechanical properties and crack evolution of fissured sandstone,biaxial compression experiments were carried out on sandstone subjected to freeze‒thaw cycles to characterize the changes in the physical and mechanical properties of fissured sandstone caused by freeze‒thaw cycles.The crack evolution and crack change process on the surface of the fissured sandstone were recorded and analysed in detail via digital image technology(DIC).Numerical simulation was used to reveal the expansion process and damage mode of fine-scale cracks under the action of freeze‒thaw cycles,and the simulation results were compared and analysed with the experimental data to verify the reliability of the numerical model.The results show that the mass loss,porosity,peak stress and elastic modulus all increase with increasing number of freeze‒thaw cycles.With an increase in the number of freeze‒thaw cycles,a substantial change in displacement occurs around the prefabricated cracks,and a stress concentration appears at the crack tip.As new cracks continue to sprout at the tips of the prefabricated cracks until the microcracks gradually penetrate into the main cracks,the displacement cloud becomes obviously discontinuous,and the contours of the displacement field in the crack fracture damage area simply intersect with the prefabricated cracks to form an obvious fracture.The damage patterns of the fractured sandstone after freeze‒thaw cycles clearly differ,forming a symmetrical"L"-shaped damage pattern at zero freeze‒thaw cycles,a symmetrical"V"-shaped damage pattern at 10 freeze‒thaw cycles,and a"V"-shaped damage pattern at 20 freeze‒thaw cycles.After 20 freeze‒thaw cycles,a"V"-shaped destruction pattern and"L"-shaped destruction pattern are formed;after 30 freeze‒thaw cycles,an"N"-shaped destruction pattern is formed.This shows that the failure mode of fractured sandstone gradually becomes more complicated with an increasing number of freeze‒thaw cycles.The effects of freeze‒thaw cycles on the direction and rate of crack propagation are revealed through a temperature‒load coupled model,which provides an important reference for an in-depth understanding of the freeze‒thaw failure mechanisms of fractured rock masses.

Effects of freeze-thaw cycles on sandstone in sunny and shady slopes

A growing rock engineering activity in cold regions is facing the threat of freeze-thaw(FT)weathering,especially in high mountains where the sunny-shady slope effects strongly control the difference in weathering behavior of rocks.In this paper,an investigation of the degradation of petrophysical characteristics of sandstone specimens subjected to FT cycle tests to simulate the sunny-shady slope effects is presented.To this aim,non-destructive and repeatable testing techniques including weight,ultrasonic waves,and nuclear magnetic resonance methods on standard specimens were performed.For the sunny slope specimens,accompanied by the enlargement of small pores,100 FT cycles caused a significant decrease in P-wave velocity with an average of 23%,but a consistent rise of 0.18%in mass loss,34%in porosity,67%in pore geometrical mean radius,and a remarkable 14.5-fold increase in permeability.However,slight changes with some abnormal trends in physical parameters of the shady slope specimens were observed during FT cycling,which can be attributed to superficial granular disaggregation and pore throat obstruction.Thermal shocks enhance rock weathering on sunny slopes during FT cycles,while FT weathering on shady slopes is restricted to the small pores and the superficial cover.These two factors are primarily responsible for the differences in FT weathering intensity between sunny and shady slopes.The conclusions derived from the interpretation of the experimental results may provide theoretical guidance for the design of slope-failure prevention measures and the selection of transportation routes in cold mountainous regions.

Quantification of the concrete freeze–thaw environment across the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau based on machine learning algorithms

The reasonable quantification of the concrete freezing environment on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau(QTP) is the primary issue in frost resistant concrete design, which is one of the challenges that the QTP engineering managers should take into account. In this paper, we propose a more realistic method to calculate the number of concrete freeze–thaw cycles(NFTCs) on the QTP. The calculated results show that the NFTCs increase as the altitude of the meteorological station increases with the average NFTCs being 208.7. Four machine learning methods, i.e., the random forest(RF) model, generalized boosting method(GBM), generalized linear model(GLM), and generalized additive model(GAM), are used to fit the NFTCs. The root mean square error(RMSE) values of the RF, GBM, GLM, and GAM are 32.3, 4.3, 247.9, and 161.3, respectively. The R^(2) values of the RF, GBM, GLM, and GAM are 0.93, 0.99, 0.48, and 0.66, respectively. The GBM method performs the best compared to the other three methods, which was shown by the results of RMSE and R^(2) values. The quantitative results from the GBM method indicate that the lowest, medium, and highest NFTC values are distributed in the northern, central, and southern parts of the QTP, respectively. The annual NFTCs in the QTP region are mainly concentrated at 160 and above, and the average NFTCs is 200 across the QTP. Our results can provide scientific guidance and a theoretical basis for the freezing resistance design of concrete in various projects on the QTP.

Effects of freeze-thaw on soil erosion processes and sediment selectivity under simulated rainfall

The freeze-thaw （FT） processes affect an area of 46.3% in China. It is essential for soil and water conservation and ecological construction to elucidate the mechanisms of the FF processes and its associated soil erosion processes. In this research, we designed the control simulation experiments to promote the understanding of FT-water combined erosion processes. The results showed that the runoff of freeze-thaw slope （FTS） decreased by 8% compared to the control slope （CS）, and the total sediment yield of the FTS was 1.10 times that of the CS. The sediment yield rate from the FTS was significantly greater than that from the CS after 9 min of runoff （P〈0.01）. Both in FTS and CS treatments, the relationships between cumulative runoff and sediment yield can be fitted well with power functions （R2〉0.98, P〈0.01）. Significant differences in the mean weight diameter （MWD） values of particles were between the CS and the FTS treatments in the erosion were smaller than those under FTS for both washed and observed for washed particles and splashed particles process （P〈0.05）. The mean MWD values under CS splashed particles. The ratio of the absolute value of a regression coefficient between the CS and the FTS was 1.15, being roughly correspondent with the ratio of K between the two treatments. Therefore, the parameter a of the power function between cumulative runoff and sediment yield could be an acceptable indicator for expressing the soil erodibility. In conclusion, the FTS exhibited an increase in soil erosion compared to the CS.

The Surface Energy Budget and Its Impact on the Freeze-thaw Processes of Active Layer in Permafrost Regions of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

The surface energy budget is closely related to freeze-thaw processes and is also a key issue for land surface process research in permafrost regions.In this study,in situ data collected from 2005 to 2015 at the Tanggula site were used to analyze surface energy regimes,the interaction between surface energy budget and freeze-thaw processes.The results confirmed that surface energy flux in the permafrost region of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau exhibited obvious seasonal variations.Annual average net radiation(R_(n))for 2010 was 86.5 W m^(-2),with the largest being in July and smallest in November.Surface soil heat flux(G_(0))was positive during warm seasons but negative in cold seasons with annual average value of 2.7 W m^(-2).Variations in R_(n) and G_(0) were closely related to freeze-thaw processes.Sensible heat flux(H)was the main energy budget component during cold seasons,whereas latent heat flux(LE)dominated surface energy distribution in warm seasons.Freeze-thaw processes,snow cover,precipitation,and surface conditions were important influence factors for surface energy flux.Albedo was strongly dependent on soil moisture content and ground surface state,increasing significantly when land surface was covered with deep snow,and exhibited negative correlation with surface soil moisture content.Energy variation was significantly related to active layer thaw depth.Soil heat balance coefficient K was>1 during the investigation time period,indicating the permafrost in the Tanggula area tended to degrade.

Freeze-thaw processes of active-layer soils in the Nanweng'he River National Natural Reserve in the Da Xing'anling Mountains,northern Northeast China

The active-layer soils overlying the permafrost are the most thermodynamically active zone of rock or soil and play important roles in the earth-atmosphere energy system. The processes of thawing and freezing and their associated complex hydrothermal coupling can significantly affect variation in mean annual temperatures and the formation of ground ice in permafrost regions. Using soil-temperature and-moisture data obtained from the active layer between September 2011 and October 2014 in the permafrost region of the Nanweng'he River in the Da Xing'anling Mountains, the freeze-thaw characteristics of the permafrost were studied. Based on analysis of ground-temperature variation and hydrothermal transport characteristics, the thawing and freezing processes of the active layer were divided into three stages:(1) autumn-winter freezing,(2) winter freeze-up, and(3) spring-summer thawing. Variations in the soil temperature and moisture were analyzed during each stage of the freeze-thaw process, and the effects of the soil moisture and ground vegetation on the freeze-thaw are discussed in this paper. The study's results show that thawing in the active layer was unidirectional, while the ground freezing was bidirectional(upward from the bottom of the active layer and downward from the ground surface).During the annual freeze-thaw cycle, the migration of soil moisture had different characteristics at different stages. In general, during a freezing-thawing cycle, the soil-water molecules migrate downward, i.e., soil moisture transports from the entire active layer to the upper limit of the permafrost. In the meantime, freeze-thaw in the active layer can be significantly affected by the soil-moisture content and vegetation.

The mechanism underlying overwintering death in poplar:the cumulative effect of effective freeze-thaw damage

We analyzed the relationships linking overwintering death and frost cracking to temperature and sunlight as well as the effects of low temperatures and freeze–thaw cycles on bud-burst rates,relative electrical conductivity,and phloem and cambial ultrastructures of poplar.Overwintering death rates of poplar were not correlated with negative accumulated temperature or winter minimum temperature.Freeze–thaw cycles caused more bud damage than constant exposure to low temperatures.Resistance to freeze–thaw cycles differed among clones,and the budburst rate decreased with increasing exposure to freeze–thaw cycles.Cold-resistant clones had the lowest relative electrical conductivity.Chloroplasts exhibited the fastest and the most obvious reaction to freeze–thaw damage,whereas a single freeze–thaw cycle caused little damage to cambium ultrastructure.Several such cycles resulted in damage to plasma membranes,severe damage to organelles,dehydration of cells and cell death.We conclude that overwintering death of poplar is mainly attributed to the accumulation of effective freeze–thaw damage beyond the limits of freeze–thaw resistance.

The Impact of Soil Freezing/Thawing Processes on Water and Energy Balances

A frozen soil parameterization coupling of thermal and hydrological processes is used to investigate how frozen soil processes affect water and energy balances in seasonal frozen soil. Simulation results of soil liquid water content and temperature using soil model with and without the inclusion of freezing and thawing processes are evaluated against observations at the Rosemount field station. By comparing the simulated water and heat fluxes of the two cases, the role of phase change processes in the water and energy balances is analyzed. Soil freezing induces upward water flow towards the freezing front and increases soil water content in the upper soil layer. In particular, soil ice obviously prevents and delays the infiltration during rain at Rosemount. In addition, soil freezingthawing processes alter the partitioning of surface energy fluxes and lead the soil to release more sensible heat into the atmosphere during freezing periods.

Effects of Freeze–thaw Cycles on Soil Mechanical and Physical Properties in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau

Extreme freeze-thaw action occurs on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau due to its unique climate resulting from high elevation and cold temperature.This action causes damage to the surface soil structure, as soil erosion in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is dominated by freeze-thaw erosion.In this research,freezing–thawing process of the soil samples collected from the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau was carried out by laboratory experiments to determinate the volume variation of soil as well as physical and mechanical properties, such as porosity, granularity and uniaxial compressive strength, after the soil experiences various freeze–thaw cycles.Results show that cohesion and uniaxial compressive strength decreased as the volume and porosity of the soil increased after experiencing various freeze–thaw cycles, especially in the first six freeze–thaw cycles.Consequently, the physical and mechanical properties of the soil were altered.However, granularity and internal friction angle did not vary significantly with an increase in the freeze–thaw cycle.The structural damage among soil particles due to frozen water expansion was the major cause of changes in soil mechanical behavior in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau.

Effect of freeze-thaw cycles on uniaxial mechanical properties of cohesive coarse-grained soils

Freeze-thaw cycles are closely related to the slope instability in high-altitude mountain regions. In this study, cohesive coarse-grained soils were collected from a high-altitude slope in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau to study the effect of cyclic freeze-thaw on their uniaxial mechanical properties. The soil specimens were remolded with three dry densities and three moisture contents. Then, after performing a series of freeze-thaw tests in a closed system without water supply, the soil specimens were subjected to a uniaxial compression test. The results showed that the stress-strain curves of the tested soils mainly performed as strain-softening. The softening feature intensified with the increasing dry density but weakened with an increase in freeze-thaw cycles and moisture content. The uniaxial compressive strength, resilient modulus, residual strength and softening modulus decreased considerably with the increase of freeze-thaw cycles. After more than nine freeze-thaw cycles, these four parameters tended to be stable. These parameters increased with the increase of dry density and decreased with the increasing moisture content, except for the residual strength which did not exhibit any clear variation with an increase in moisture content. The residual strength, however, generally increased with an increase in dry density. The soil structural damage caused by frozen water expansion during the freeze-thaw is the major cause for the changes in mechanical behaviors of cohesive coarse-grained soils. With results in this study, the deterioration effect of freeze-thaw cycles on the mechanical properties of soils should be considered during the slope stability analysis in high-altitude mountain regions.

Classification and Assessment of Freeze-Thaw Erosion in Tibet, China

Based on the analysis of existing relevant research result, a theoretical basis for the defining freeze- thaw erosion zones of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau was been put forward, and a equation for calculating the altitude of the lower bound of the freeze-thaw erosion zones of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau was been established in this paper. Moreover, the freeze-thaw erosion zones in Tibet was been identified by using Geographical Information System (GIS) software. Next, based on the comprehensive analysis of impact factors of freeze-thaw erosion, this paper chooses annul temperature range, slop and vegetation as three indexes, works out the criteria for relative classification of freeze-thaw erosion, and realizes the relative classification of the freeze-thaw erosion in Tibet under the support of GIS software. Then, a synthetic assessment of freeze-thaw erosion in Tibet was been done according to the relative classification result.

Cracking in an expansive soil under freeze–thaw cycles

Expansive soils located in cold regions can easily endure the action of frost heaving and cyclic freezing–thawing. Cracking can also occur in expansive clayey soils under freeze–thaw cycles, of which little attention has been paid on this issue.In this study, laboratory experiment and cracking analysis were performed on an expansive soil. Crack patterns were quantitatively analyzed using the fractal concept. The relationships among crack pattern, water loss, number of freeze–thaw cycles, and fractal dimension were discussed. It was found that crack patterns on the surface exhibit a hierarchical network structure that is fractal at a statistical level. Cracks induced by freeze–thaw cycles are shorter, more irregularly oriented,and slowly evolves from an irregularly rectilinear pattern towards a polygonal or quasi–hexagonal one; water loss, closely related to specimen thickness, plays a significant role in the process of soil cracking; crack development under freeze-thaw cycles are not only attributed to capillary effect, but also to expansion and absorption effects.

Numerical simulation based on two-directional freeze and thaw algorithm for thermal diffusion model

Freeze-thaw processes significantly modulate hydraulic and thermal char- acteristics of soil. The changes in the frost and thaw fronts （FTFs） affect the water and energy cycles between the land surface and the atmosphere. Thus, the frozen soil com- prising permafrost and seasonally frozen soil has important effects on the land surface hydrology in cold regions. In this study, a two-directional freeze and thaw algorithm is incorporated into a thermal diffusion equation for simulating FTFs. A local adaptive variable-grid method is used to discretize the model. Sensitivity tests demonstrate that the method is stable and FTFs can be tracked continuously. The FTFs and soil tempera- ture at the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau D66 site are simulated hourly from September 1, 1997 to September 22, 1998. The results show that the incorporated model performs much better in the soil temperature simulation than the original thermal diffusion equation, showing potential applications of the method in land-surface process modeling.

Experimental study of dynamic resilient modulus of subgrade soils under coupling of freeze–thaw cycles and dynamic load

Although the dynamic properties of subgrade soils in seasonally frozen areas have already been studied, few researchers have considered the influence of shallow groundwater during the freeze–thaw(F–T) cycles. So a multifunctional F–T cycle system was developed to imitate the groundwater recharge in the subgrade during the freezing process and a large number of dynamic triaxial experiments were conducted after the F–T cycles. Some significant factors including the F–T cycle number, compaction degree, confining pressure, cyclic deviator stress, loading frequency, and water content were investigated for the resilient modulus of soils. The experimental results indicated that the dynamic resilient modulus of the subgrade was negatively correlated with the cyclic deviator stress, F–T cycle number, and initial water content, whereas the degree of compaction, confining pressure, and loading frequency could enhance the resilient modulus. Furthermore, a modified model considering the F–T cycle number and stress state was established to predict the dynamic resilient modulus. The calculated results of this modified model were very close to the experimental results. Consequently, calculation of the resilient modulus for F–T cycles considering the dynamic load was appropriate. This study provides reference for research focusing on F–T cycles with groundwater supply and the dynamic resilient moduli of subgrade soils in seasonally frozen areas.

Effects of Freeze/Thaw Cycles and Gas Purging Method on Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells

At subzero temperature, the startup capability and performance of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) deteriorates markedly. The object of this work is to study the degradation mechanism of key components of PEMFC-membrane-electrode assembly (MEA) and seek feasible measures to avoid degradation. The effect of freeze/thaw cycles on the structure of MEA is investigated based on porosity and SEM measurement. The performance of a single cell was also tested before and after repetitious freeze/thaw cycles. The experimental results indicated that the performance of a PEMFC decreased along with the total operating time as well as the pore size distribution shifting and micro configuration changing. However, when the redundant water had been removed by gas purging, the performance of the PEMFC stack was almost resumed when it experienced again the same subzero temperature test. These results show that it is necessary to remove the water in PEMFCs to maintain stable performance under subzero temperature and gas purging is proved to be the effective operation.

Typical Soft–Sediment Deformation Structures Induced by Freeze/Thaw Cycles: A Case Study of Quaternary Alluvial Deposits in the Northern Qiangtang Basin, Tibetan Plateau

With the objective of establishing a distinction between deformation structures caused by freeze/thaw cycles and those resulting from seismic activity, we studied three well–exposed alluvial deposits in a section at Dogai Coring, northern Qiangtang Basin, Tibetan Plateau. Deformation is present in the form of plastic structures(diapirs, folds and clastic dykes), brittle structures(micro–faults) and cryogenic wedges. These soft–sediment deformation features(except the micro–faults) are mainly characterized by meter–scale, non–interlayered, low–speed and low–pressure displacements within soft sediments, most commonly in the form of plastic deformation. Taking into account the geographic setting, lithology and deformation features, we interpret these soft–sediment deformation features as the products of freeze/thaw cycles, rather than of earthquake–induced shock waves, thus reflecting regional temperature changes and fluctuations of hydrothermal conditions in the uppermost sediments. The micro–faults(close to linear hot springs) are ascribed to regional fault activity;however, we were unable to identify the nature of the micro–faults, perhaps due to disturbance by subsequent freeze/thaw cycles. This study may serve as a guide to recognizing the differences between deformation structures attributed to freeze/thaw cycles and seismic processes.

Deformation monitoring and analysis at two frost mounds during freeze–thaw cycles along the Qinghai–Tibet Engineering Corridor

This paper presents various deformation-monitoring technologies employed to monitor the frost heave and thaw settlement of two mounds along the Qinghai–Tibet Engineering Corridor(QTEC), China. The QTEC is known as a critical infrastructure and passage connecting inland China and the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau(QTP). Three technologies—global navigation satellite system(GNSS), terrestrial laser scanning(TLS), and unmanned aerial vehicle(UAV)—were used to estimate the freeze/thaw–induced 3D surface deformation of two frost mounds. Our results showed that (1) the two frost mounds exhibited mainly thaw settlement in thawing periods and frost heave in the freezing period, but frost heave dominated after repeated freeze–thaw cycles;(2) different zones of the mounds showed different deformation characteristics;(3) active-layer thickness(ALT) and elevation changes were highly correlated during thaw periods;(4) integrated 3D-measurement technologies can achieve a better understanding and assessment of hazards in the permafrost area.

The classification and assessment of freeze-thaw erosion in Tibet

Freeze-thaw erosion is the third largest soil erosion type after water erosion and wind erosion. Restricted by many factors, few researches on freeze-thaw erosion have so far been done at home and abroad, especially those on the assessment method of freeze-thaw erosion. Based on the comprehensive analysis of impact factors of free-thaw erosion, this paper chooses six indexes, including the annual temperature range, annual precipitation, slope, aspect, vegetation and soil, to build the model for relative classification of freeze-thaw erosion using weighted and additive methods, and realizes the relative classification of the freeze-thaw erosion in Tibet with the support of GIS software. Then a synthetic assessment of freeze-thaw erosion in Tibet has been carried out according to the relative classification result. The result shows that the distribution of freeze-thaw eroded area is very extensive in Tibet, accounting for 55.3% of the total local land area; the spatial differentiation of freeze-thaw erosion with different intensities is obvious; and the difference in distribution among different regions is also obvious.

Thinning intensity aff ects carbon sequestration and release in seasonal freeze–thaw areas

To explore how to respond to seasonal freeze–thaw cycles on forest ecosystems in the context of climate change through thinning,we assessed the potential impact of thinning intensity on carbon cycle dynamics.By varying the number of temperature cycles,the eff ects of various thinning intensities in four seasons.The rate of mass,litter organic carbon,and soil organic carbon(SOC)loss in response to temperature variations was examined in two degrees of decomposition.The unfrozen season had the highest decomposition rate of litter,followed by the frozen season.Semi-decomposed litter had a higher decomposition rate than undecomposed litter.The decomposition rate of litter was the highest when the thinning intensity was 10%,while the litter and SOC were low.Forest litter had a good carbon sequestration impact in the unfrozen and freeze–thaw seasons,while the converse was confi rmed in the frozen and thaw seasons.The best carbon sequestration impact was identifi ed in litter,and soil layers under a 20–25%thinning intensity,and the infl uence of undecomposed litter on SOC was more noticeable than that of semi-decomposed litter.Both litter and soil can store carbon:however,carbon is transported from undecomposed litter to semi-decomposed litter and to the soil over time.In summary,the best thinning intensity being 20–25%.

Numerical Simulation on Climate Effects of Freezing-Thawing Processes Using CCM3

A parameterization of soil freezing-thawing physics for use in the land-surface model of the National Center for Atmospheric Research(NCAR) Community Climate Model(CCM3) is developed and evaluated.The new parameterization scheme has improved the representation of physical processes in the existing land surface model.Numerical simulations using CCM3 with improved land-surface processes and with the original land-surface processes are compared against the NCEP reanalysis.It is found that the CCM3 version using the improved land surface model shows significant improvements in simulating precipitation in China during the summer season,the general circulation over East Asia,and wind fields over the Tibet Plateau.For the summer season,the improved model was able to better simulate the Indian summer monsoon components,including the mean northerly wind in the upper troposphere and mean southerly wind in the lower troposphere.