Shear Strength of Soils under Frozen and Thawed Conditions using a Large Direct Shear Box

D. Stafford, E.M. De Guzman, M. Alfaro, G. Doré, L. Arenson

In the proceedings of: GeoOttawa 2017: 70th Canadian Geotechnical Conference; 12th joint with IAH-CNC

Session: Cold Regions I

ABSTRACT: Embankments in the Arctic are usually constructed during winter conditions to preserve the underlying permafrost and minimize environmental impacts. However, there is limited understanding as to how frozen soils compacted during winter conditions behave and how it impacts the overall performance of the embankment, especially during the first thawing season following winter construction. A series of direct shear tests were conducted on laboratory-prepared frozen soil to determine its shear strength properties using a large-scale direct shear equipment. Normal stresses of 25, 50, and 100 kPa were selected corresponding to the range of stresses expected in the field. Tests were conducted in an environmental chamber under frozen and thawed conditions. This paper presents the preliminary results of a testing program to understand the behaviour of high embankments with fill materials compacted frozen and experienced thawing.

RÉSUMÉ: En Arctic, les remblais sont habituellement construits en conditions hivernales afin de pr”server le perg”lisol sous-jacent et minimiser les impacts environnementaux. Toutefois, la compr”hension du comportement des sols gel”s compact”s sous conditions hivernales est limit”e, de m’me que l'impact sur la performance globale du remblai, en particulier lors de la premi‘re saison de d”gel suite ‹ la construction. Une s”rie d'essais de cisaillement direct a ”t” men”e sur des sols gel”s pr”par”s en laboratoire pour d”terminer ses propri”t”s de r”sistance au cisaillement en utilisant un ”quipement de cisaillement direct ‹ grande ”chelle. Des pressions normales de 25, 50 et 100 kPa ont ”t” s”lectionn”es correspondant aux pressions attendues sur le terrain. Les essais ont ”t” effectu”s dans une chambre environnementale sous des conditions de gel et de d”gel. Cet article pr”sente les r”sultats pr”liminaires d'un programme d'essais pour comprendre le comportement des remblais ”pais constitu”s de mat”riaux de remplissage compact”s gel”s et subissant un d”gel.

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