A laboratory investigation of the frost heave susceptibility of fine-grained soil generated from the abrasion of a diorite aggregate

- Frost susceptibility of fines generated from the abrasion of a diorite aggregate
- Comparative laboratory testing results of frost heave susceptibility
- Limitations of existing methods of frost heave quantification
- Impact of thermal conductivity on the development of a transient frost heave

One-dimensional frost heave testing of soil samples of differing composition (Devon silt and the fines generated from the abrasion of an aggregate) demonstrates a contradictory assessment of their frost heave susceptibility based on the rate of segregation heave and the segregation potential (SP). Specifically, the rate of segregation heave is representative of the frost heave susceptibility during transient conditions, whereas the SP is an indicator of the frost heave susceptibility under steady state conditions. The contradiction between these two measures is due to the transient conditions that result from the differing thermal conductivity of the soils. Limitations of frost susceptibility criteria are discussed in light of these results.