Experimental Study on Soil Temperature and Deformation during an Artificial Ground-Freezing Process Considering Interface Differences

作者：Jingyuan Ma, Kai Huang, Baoping Zou, Xiaoquan Li · 发表于：ASCE-ASME Journal of Risk and Uncertainty in Engineering Systems Part A Civil Engineering · 年份：2025 · DOI：10.1061/ajrua6.rueng-1496 · 被引用次数：4 · 研究领域：Climate change and permafrost、Soil and Unsaturated Flow、Landslides and related hazards

Artificial ground freezing (AGF) is prevalently employed in the construction of tunnel connecting passages. The soil heat transfer process plays a pivotal role in temperature alterations during freezing, subsequently influencing soil deformation and displacement and introducing uncertainties to the construction and safety. This study undertook indoor experiments to explore the freeze–thaw process of AGF within silty soft soil and explored the influence of interface disparities on soil heat transfer and deformation. The freeze–thaw model consisted of Hangzhou silty soft soil and a similarity tunnel model, subjected to freeze–thaw cycles at −18°C. To account for the freeze–thaw uncertainties stemming from interface differences, three external interfaces, namely, air–soil, steel–soil, and insulated steel–soil, were designated following engineering practices. By monitoring soil temperature and displacement, the analysis of soil heat transfer and deformation was conducted. The findings reveal that the external interfaces led to a reduction in the freezing rate and an elevation in the stable freezing temperature of the adjacent soil. Among them, the air–soil interface exhibited the most limited influence range, while the steel–soil interface had the most profound impact. The maximum freezing time of the soil corresponding to the steel–soil interface was prolonged by 355%, and the frozen soil temperature rose by 29% to 58%. Soil deformation was found to be closely associated with th...