IS-CambridgeInfluence of freeze-thaw action on hydraulic behavior of unsaturated volcanic coarse-grained soils

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of freeze-thaw action on the water retention-permeability characteristics of volcanic coarse-grained soils under unsaturated conditions in order to examine the hydraulic behavior of volcanic soil during the snow-melting season. In this study, a series of water retention, permeability, and slaking tests on three types of crushable volcanic coarse-grained soils, differing in their degrees of particle crushability, were performed under various degrees of saturation and freeze-thaw histories, while comparing the test results with those of non-crushable sand. Based on the experimental results, the effects of freeze-thaw action on the water retentivity, permeability, and particle breakage were examined. The test results indicated that freeze-thaw action has a strong influence on the hydraulic behavior of crushable volcanic coarse-grained soils under unsaturated conditions, even if the soil is a non-frost-susceptible geomaterial.