What is the frost penetration depth in Italy

[afzalw]

What is the frost penetration depth in Italy. Most precisely I want the frost depth in Pisa. Any data for with or without reference will be helpful.
I found that it usually ranges from 1.5' to 3' in Pisa but I am not sure cause I don't have a strong reference on it.

Thanks

 

[MiketheEngineer]

You should contact someone in that area with such knowledge. Don't forget - that is where the great leaning tower is located.. So - I am guessing the soils are not all that great.

 

[ACtrafficengr]

I'd imagine it would depend - are you in southern Sicily or in the Italian Alps?

Maybe the tyranny of Murphy is the penalty for hubris. -

http://xkcd.com/319/

 

[afzalw]

I think frost Penetration depth does not primarily depends on the type of soil it more based on the climate of the region and intensity of freezing temperature.
any idea what will be the depth with some good reference?

 

[hokie66]

I don't believe it freezes in Pisa. According to this site, the temperature doesn't go below about 4 degrees C, so frost would not be a concern.

http://www.knowital.com/weather/pisa/

 

[Mccoy]

afzalw, is there a practical purpose to your question?
since my college years up to now I never heard that frozen soil is a significant factor in building practice. No permafrost here, not even in mountainous regions.

The average yearly atmospheric temperature in Pisa, as noted above, is sure above zero centigrades, whereas we cannot rule out wintery spells below freezing point, up to a few days of duration.

But again, I wonder why you would be interested in the state, frozen or not, of the water in the very few upper inches od soil.

 

[Erdbau]

McCoy, if you have soils that are susceptible to frost heave, then you need to put footings below the frost depth so that it's not an issue.

Afzalw, seems like 1.5 to 3 feet is a huge range within a city. Maybe these are the range of values that you have found from separate sources.

 

[Mccoy]

OK, sorry I misread inches instead of feet, but inches would be the order of the scale of frost penetration in that area, unless we are speaking of extreme occurrences.

Again, I've never heard that frost penetration is a factor taken in consideration in the Italian building practice. Not even in the place I work more, where the winter can be severe. 3 feet frost penetration in Pisa sounds like a very large figure, regular practice entails a minimum foundation depth of about 3 feet anyway, barred maybe some slab foundations.

You should indicate the source of your data, Pisa tower studies or what? I still cannot understand the practical finality of your very specific question...

 

[afzalw]

I have to design a tower and I was wondering if it can be a significant factor but it looks like its not.

Thanks

 

[Mccoy]

afzalw, if you are going to design foundations for a tower near the city of Pisa, with the 20 m diameter base circular slab you mentioned in another thread, the issues you should be looking at is soft soils, lateral dishomogenity, differential settlement, liquefaction, behaviour under wind forces and seismic forces.

Do you already have a geotechnical report of that site?

 

[afzalw]

I already have the geotechnical report