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Thaw Consolidation (thaw + consolidation)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Humanities and Social Sciences	80%

Selected Abstracts

Solifluction processes on permafrost and non-permafrost slopes: results of a large-scale laboratory simulation

PERMAFROST AND PERIGLACIAL PROCESSES, Issue 4 2008
Charles Harris
Abstract We present results of full-scale physical modelling of solifluction in two thermally defined environments: (a) seasonal frost penetration but no permafrost, and (b) a seasonally thawed active layer above cold permafrost. Modelling was undertaken at the Laboratoire M2C, Université de Caen-Basse Normandie, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, France. Two geometrically similar slope models were constructed using natural frost-susceptible test soil. In Model 1 water was supplied via a basal sand layer during freezing. In Model 2 the basal sand layer contained refrigerated copper tubing that maintained a permafrost table. Soil freezing was from the top down in Model 1 (one-sided freezing) but from the top down and bottom up (two-sided freezing) in Model 2. Thawing occurred from the top down as a result of positive air temperatures. Ice segregation in Model 1 decreased with depth, but in Model 2, simulated rainfall led to summer frost heave associated with ice segregation at the permafrost table, and subsequent two-sided freezing increased basal ice contents further. Thaw consolidation in Model 1 decreased with depth, but in Model 2 was greatest in the ice-rich basal layer. Soil shear strain occurred during thaw consolidation and was accompanied by raised pore water pressures. Displacement profiles showed decreasing movement rates with depth in Model 1 (one-sided freezing) but ,plug-like' displacements of the active layer over a shearing basal zone in Model 2 (two-sided active layer freezing). Volumetric transport rates were approximately 2.8 times higher for a given rate of surface movement in the permafrost model compared with the non-permafrost model. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Gelifluction: viscous flow or plastic creep?

EARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS, Issue 12 2003
Charles Harris
Abstract This paper reports results from two scaled centrifuge modelling experiments, designed to simulate thaw-related geli,uction. A planar 12° prototype slope was modelled in each experiment, using the same natural ,ne sandy silt soil. However two different scales were used. In Experiment 1, the model scale was 1/10, tested in the centrifuge at 10 gravities (g) and in Experiment 2, the scale was 1/30, tested at 30 g. Centrifuge scaling laws indicate that the time scaling factor for thaw consolidation between model and prototype is N2, where N is the number of gravities under which the model was tested. However, the equivalent time scaling for viscous ,ow is 1/1. If geli,uction is a viscosity-controlled ,ow process, scaling con,icts will therefore arise during centrifuge modelling of thawing slopes, and rates of displacement will not scale accurately to the prototype. If, however, no such scaling con,icts are observed, we may conclude that geli,uction is not controlled by viscosity, but rather by elasto-plastic soil deformation in which frictional shear strength depends on effective stress, itself a function of the thaw consolidation process. Models were saturated, consolidated and frozen from the surface downwards on the laboratory ,oor. The frozen models were then placed in the geotechnical centrifuge and thawed from the surface down. Each model was subjected to four freeze,thaw cycles. Soil temperatures and pore water pressures were monitored, and frost heave, thaw settlement and downslope displacements measured. Pore water pressures, displacement rates and displacement pro,les re,ecting accumulated shear strain, were all similar at the two model scales and volumetric soil transport per freeze,thaw cycle, when scaled to prototype, were virtually identical. Displacement rates and pro,les were also similar to those observed in earlier full-scale laboratory ,oor experiments. It is concluded therefore that the modelled geli,uction was not a time-dependent viscosity-controlled ,ow phenomenon, but rather elasto-plastic in nature. A ,rst approximation ,,ow' law is proposed, based on the ,Cam Clay' constitutive model for soils. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Downslope Displacement Rates of Ploughing Boulders in A Mid-Alpine Environment: Finse, Southern Norway.

GEOGRAFISKA ANNALER SERIES A: PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY, Issue 3 2001
Ivar Berthling
Annual and seasonal displacements of ploughing boulders were investigated at Finse, southern Norway, by traditional surveying and differential carrier-phase global positioning system measurements. Annual displacement rates were mainly below 10 mm/year, although one particular season showed rates of 26 mm/year on average. There was a tendency for larger boulders to travel faster. Seasonal displacements were restricted to the annual freeze-thaw cycle. The frost heave seems to have a significant horizontal component, which does not necessarily point in the downslope direction. Thus, the concept of frost creep is not applicable to the investigated ploughing boulders. On the other hand, due to tilting of the boulders, a momentum may be gained during thaw consolidation that could induce downslope displacements. Such a process will work together with gelifluction. [source]

Solifluction processes on permafrost and non-permafrost slopes: results of a large-scale laboratory simulation

Solifluction processes in an area of seasonal ground freezing, Dovrefjell, Norway

PERMAFROST AND PERIGLACIAL PROCESSES, Issue 1 2008
Charles Harris
Abstract Continuous monitoring of soil temperatures, frost heave, thaw consolidation, pore water pressures and downslope soil movements are reported from a turf-banked solifluction lobe at Steinhøi, Dovrefjell, Norway from August 2002 to August 2006. Mean annual air temperatures over the monitored period were slightly below 0°C, but mean annual ground surface temperatures were around 2°C warmer, due to the insulating effects of snow cover. Seasonal frost penetration was highly dependent on snow thickness, and at the monitoring location varied from 30,38,cm over the four years. The shallow annual frost penetration suggests that the site may be close to the limit of active solifluction in this area. Surface solifluction rates over the period 2002,06 ranged from 0.5,cm yr,1 at the rear of the lobe tread to 1.6,cm yr,1 just behind the lobe front, with corresponding soil transport rates of 6,cm3,cm,1 yr,1 and 46,cm3,cm,1 yr,1. Pore water pressure measurements indicated seepage of snowmelt beneath seasonally frozen soil in spring with artesian pressures beneath the confining frozen layer. Soil thawing was associated with surface settlement and downslope soil displacements, but following clearance of the frozen ground, later soil surface settlement was accompanied by retrograde movement. Summer rainfall events caused brief increases in pore pressure, but no further soil movement. Surface displacements exceeded maximum potential frost creep values and it is concluded that gelifluction was an important component of slow near-surface mass movements at this site. Temporal and spatial variations in solifluction rates across the area are likely to be considerable and strongly influenced by snow distribution. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]