%A Lin Geng, XianZhang Ling, Liang Tang, Jun Luo, XiuLi Du %T A mathematical approach to evaluate maximum frost heave of unsaturated silty clay %0 Journal Article %D 2017 %J Sciences in Cold and Arid Regions %R 10.3724/SP.J.1226.2017.00438 %P 438-446 %V 9 %N 5 %U {http://www.scar.ac.cn/CN/abstract/article_57.shtml} %8 2017-10-01 %X Maximum frost heave of unsaturated frost-susceptible soils, in conjunction with a high water table, is an important consideration for the design of foundations in seasonally frozen regions. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate accurately and efficiently the maximum frost heave for a given soil. For this purpose, a series of one-sided freezing experiments was conducted on unsaturated silty clay in an open system. Multistage cooling of sufficient duration was applied to the soil sample's top, while constant above-zero temperatures were maintained at the bottom. Then, a simple methodology for calculating maximum frost heave at a given cooling temperature was derived utilizing information obtained within the limited time allotted for each stage. On this basis, an empirical equation for defining maximum frost heave as a function of cooling temperature and overburden pressure was determined. Overall, this study provides a simple and practical procedure that is applicable to the evaluation of maximum frost heave of unsaturated frost-susceptible soils.