New theory to explain frost action

• Main Authors: Keinonen, L., National Research Council Of Canada. Division Of Building Research
• Format: Report
• Language: English
• Published: National Research Council of Canada 1960
• Subjects: permafrost; soils; theory; ice; frozen soils; freezing; frost heaving; pergélisol; sol; théorie; glace gel; sol gelé; congélation physique; foisonnement par le gel; Ice
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.4224/20359154; https://nrc-publications.canada.ca/eng/view/object/?id=0e7332a2-0ace-4a39-8469-fb81428590ef

Some aspects of the general theory of frost heaving are not consistent with the way water moves in saturated material, hence a new theory is presented based on the absorption forces of water on surfaces. Water molecules, being dipolar, arrange themselves on the surface of crystals to balance the electrical forces. The crystal surfaces become covered with several layers of water with the attraction force of each successive layer decreasing with distance from the surface. Because the arrangement of water molecules is different in ice the crystals are not attached to the mineral crystal surfaces with the same tenacity as individual water molecules. As more ice freezes, removing the outer layers of water from the sphere of influence of the mineral particles, water moves in from the surrounding area to replenish the water removed by freezing. Thr author has presented calculations to show that pressures in the water films can exceed 40,000 kp/cm[2] and thus explains the large heaving forces observed when ice lensing occurs. On the basis of this new theory one can assume that frost action can be changed using electrical fields. It has been found that an electrical current of 0.04 to 0.19 amperes caused considerable changes in the water films that develop on soil particles. However it may be too optimistic to assume that the electrical potential difference between metal surfaces of different temperatures would be sufficient to stop frost action.