Dynamic Properties of Frozen Soils: A Literature Review and Future Research Needs

This paper reviews studies considering the dynamic properties of frozen soils. A significant number of infrastructure studies across the globe are constructed on soils that experience freezing or freezing-thawing cycles annually. These infrastructure projects, buildings, and highways are potentially susceptible to cyclic loads in the form of earthquakes or traffic loads, for example. Moreover, artificial ground freezing (AGF), which has been widely used as a method of soil modification in tunneling for subway construction in urban areas, is also another geotechnical application that subjects soils to freezing and freezing-thawing cycles. In order to increase the resilience of such infrastructure and enhance the efficiency of thermal methods of soil modification, a thorough understanding of the properties of frozen soils is of great importance. Consequently, many researchers are motivated to utilize various scientific tools to study the mechanical and dynamic response of frozen soils. In the literature, research is mainly focused on parameters such as freezing temperatures, freeze-thaw cycles, material type and density, water content, and dynamic loading characteristics. These parameters influence the resiliency of the design of structures in cold regions. In this paper, first, a summary of the studies on the impact of freezing and freezing-thawing on the dynamic parameters of soils is discussed. Next, the topics that have not been sufficiently investigated in the dynamics of frozen soils are identified, highlighting the needed studies.