Design and validation of a new dynamic direct shear apparatus for frozen soil

•A new dynamic direct shear apparatus for frozen soil and interface developed.•Its maximum shearing force is 20 kN.•The frequency of shearing force can be reached to 4 Hz.

The dynamic parameters of frozen soil are important for both engineering design and numerical simulation, which directly affect the accuracy of calculations. This paper describes the development of a new dynamic direct shear apparatus and provides a comprehensive analysis of its capability, measurement and control systems. The calibration test results show that this dynamic direct shear apparatus is suitable for studying the dynamic characteristics of frozen soil and interfaces behavior between different materials.