Time Dependent Material Properties Due to Solute Redistribution in Frozen Marine Soils

by Brian J. A. Stuckert, Earth Technology, Long Beach, CA, USA,
Larry J. Mahar, Earth Technology, Long Beach, CA, USA,
Ted S. Vinson, Earth Technology, Long Beach, CA, USA,
Ralph C. Wilson, Earth Technology, Long Beach, CA, USA,



Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: Civil Engineering in the Arctic Offshore

Abstract:

The design of earth structures and foundations in arctic marine environments requires the assessment of soil properties. A study is presented which investigates the change in mechanical properties due to movement of solutes within a partially frozen saline saturated soil. The solute movement is assumed to be primarily gravity driven (convection) downward when temperature increases downward. As solutes move downward by convection, the ice content and the soil strength increases. The increase in ice content decreases the net porosity of the soil causing a decrease in the rate of convective solute movement and eventually the solute movement ceases. The experimental work which demonstrates convective solute movement and a methodology to determine the rate of solute movement as a function of solute concentration gradients is described. The effect of solute redistribution on soil strength for a granular soil is discussed.

Subject Headings: Frozen soils | Soil strength | Material properties | Granular soils | Soil properties | Salinity | Time dependence | Arctic

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