frost heave
frost heave
(OP)
Is there a formula to calculate the Force generated, lifting capacity and expansion factor of frost heave or frozen water (ice)?
I have a project in upstate SC. The Architect has stated the frost heave is not relevant to his scope of work in regards to civil design of building approaches and walks and curb design.
I would be happy to agree with him, except I have been involved in a lawsuit in NC where on the northeast side of the building the frost heave raise the building approachs concrete and blocked several fire exits and accessible routes.
I have always wondered about the lifting capacity and expansion factor of freezing water and it resulting effects on a rigid structure. There is also a question about sealing expansion joints between the structure and sidewalks.
Thank you in advance.
I have a project in upstate SC. The Architect has stated the frost heave is not relevant to his scope of work in regards to civil design of building approaches and walks and curb design.
I would be happy to agree with him, except I have been involved in a lawsuit in NC where on the northeast side of the building the frost heave raise the building approachs concrete and blocked several fire exits and accessible routes.
I have always wondered about the lifting capacity and expansion factor of freezing water and it resulting effects on a rigid structure. There is also a question about sealing expansion joints between the structure and sidewalks.
Thank you in advance.





RE: frost heave
RE: frost heave
HTH,
Carl
RE: frost heave
RE: frost heave
If anyone has a formula to calculate the Force generated, lifting capacity and expansion factor of frost heave it would ne greatly appreciated. Even a rule of thumb would help.
RE: frost heave
http://www.usace.army.mil/publications/armytm/tm5-852-4/entire.pdf
http://www.usace.army.mil/publications/armytm/tm5-818-1/ch-18.pdf
http://www.crrel.usace.army.mil/techpub/CRREL_Reports/reports/TR00-16.pdf
http://www.crrel.usace.army.mil/techpub/CRREL_Reports/reports/CR95_12.pdf
http://www.bio.mie-u.ac.jp/~kunio/pdf/dthesis/chap2.pdf
http://www.usace.army.mil/publications/armytm/tm5-852-1/entire.pdf
RE: frost heave
RE: frost heave
The best bet, ensure the areas are well graded. Use a sealant, such a sica-flex to seal any cracks that will allow water to accumulate. Most of all, if as a result of the lawsuit the approach is reconstructed, get rid of unsuitable materials (silts, organics) and replace with a clays, and top it off with a graded aggregate.
KRS Services
www.krs-services.com
RE: frost heave
http://irc.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/cbd/cbd061e.html
RE: frost heave
Damage was due to the raising of the concrete above the lower level of the stucco wall covering, causing the stucco to be broken and removed from the wall.
Thank you for the help with research materials.
RE: frost heave
Just a thought!
RE: frost heave
KRS: - while I have you here on this thread; I know you are in BC. Do you have a copy of the BC std drawing for superelevation section in fill??? Want to know if they "breakback" the shoulder on the uphill side. If you do, and you don't mind sending me a scan of it, I would certainly appreciate it. bohica@indiatimes.com
Many thanks and best to all watching these wonderful threads. Better - much much better - than watching Hindi movies.
BigH
RE: frost heave
Actually I am a former BC resident. I now live in Alberta, but yes I do have the highways spec and some drawings for the superelevation. If I do, I'll scan and send to you.
KRS Services
www.krs-services.com
RE: frost heave
RE: frost heave
It is book written from the "researcher's perspective", but could have great value to those confronted with cold weather building construction problems. It is a good foundation book for those interested in building science.
RE: frost heave
RE: frost heave
RE: frost heave
But frost heaving will occur even in soils with pore fluids that contract upon freezing.
The real culprit is the migration of pore fluid to the freezing front, allowing the growth of segregated lenses of ice. As the water freezes, more water will move to the freezing surface to replace it. It flows for several reasons that I am aware of, there are probabaly others:
1. The heat is flowing from the earth to the atmosphere. The cool water near the freezing front has a lower vapour pressure than the warmer water below. The temperature gradient induces an upward hydraulic gradient.
2. Tension develops at the ice-water interface, drawing more water upward toward the freezing front.
3. The water near the ice becomes hypertonic, since the frozen ice is nearly pure. Low osmolarity water from further away flows to this region until the two zones become isotonic.
The water comes from below because this is usully the only (or nearest) unfrozen, available water in the area.
The small pore size in fine grained soils is also associated with capillarity, which allows water to rise above the level of atmospheric pressure, again due to a membrane tension at the water surface.
This is more likely what you have observed.
You need three components to have frost heaving. 1) Freezing temperatures in the soil, 2) frost susceptible soil (usually fine grained), and 3) a source of water. Eliminate one of the three elements, or slow down the cooling or water flow, and solve the problem (or eliminate two for a belt and suspenders approach). Good drainage design is usually the simplest.
Several good suggestions have been offered. Floor slab details for unheated buildings (like a warehouse or barn in freezing zones) would be a good starting point. Check with a Department of Agriculture extension service. Your outdoor building approaches are in a thermal regime similar to this.
Roads are usually not designed to eliminate heaving altogether, but will have details that, in theory, eliminate differences in heaving, and features to prevent the weakening that occurs when they begin to thaw from the top in spring, and become fully saturated if not drained. In some cases temporary reduced vehicle weights will be enforced during this period.