Fundamentals, Accuracy and Input Parameters of Frost Heave Prediction Models

342 Pages·1998·14.55 MB·English

Fundamentals, Accuracy and Input
Parameters of Frost Heave
Prediction Models
FONS JOZEF SCHELLEKENS
B.%. (Physical Geography)
S tate University of Utrecht, Utrecht 1984
M.Sc. (Physical Geography)
S tate University of Utrecht, Utrecht 1989
A thesis submitted to
The Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research
In partial fulfillment of the requirements
For the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy
Department of Earth Sciences
Carleton University, Ottawa
December 1997
The Doctor of Philosophy Program in Earth Sciences
is a joint prograrn with the University of Ottawa,
administered by the Ottawa-Carleton Geoscience Centre
O copyright
1997, Fons Jozef Schellekens
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ABSTRACT
In this thesis. the fkost heave knowledge of physical geographers and soil physicists, a
detailed description of the fiost heave process. methods to detemine soi1 pammeten, and
analysis of the spatial variability of these soil pararneters are comected to the expertise of civil
engineers and mathematicians in the (cornputer) modellinp of the process. A description is
given of observations of fkost heave in labontory experiments and in the field. Frost heave
modelling is made accessible by a detailed description of the main principles of frost heave
modrlling in a Ianguage which can be understood by penons who do not have a thorough
mathematical background. Two exampies of practical one- dimensional fkost heave prediction
models are described: a model developed by Wang (1994) and a model developed by Nixon
(1 99 1) . Advantages, limitations and some improvements of these models are described.
It is suggested that conventional frost heave prediction using estimated estreme input
pararneters may be improved by using locally measured input parameters. The importance of
accurate input parameters in frost heave prediction models is demonstrated in a case study using
the fiost heave models developed by Wang and Nixon. Methods to detexmine the input
pararneters are discussed, concluding with a suite of methods, some of which are new, to
determine the input pararneters of fkost heave prediction models from very basic grain size
parameters. The spatial variability of the required input parametes is analysed using data
obtained along the Noman Wells - Zama oil pipeline at Norman Wells, NWT, located in the
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transition between discontinuous and continuous permafrost regions at the northem end of
Canada's northemmosr oil pipeline. A method based on spatial variability analysis of the input
parameters in frost heave models is sugçested to optimize the improvement that aises kom
adequate sarnpling, while minimizing the costs of obtaining field data.
A series of Frost heave predictions is made using a modified version of the mode1 of
Wang and the determined series of input data along the Norman Wells pipeline. The spatial
variation in cornputed frost heave. an indicator of differential fiost heave resultinç from a
spatial variation of input parameters, is discussed. The thesis concludes wvith an analysis of the
sources of poiential errors in. and an evaluation of the rnents of fkost heave prediction.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Fint of ail 1 am thankful to my supervisor Dr. J. Kenneth Torrance. for the usehl
discussions, comments, and constructive cnticism, which improved the thesis so much. Dr.
A. Ghani Razaqpur gave me very useful advice on numencal methods and the modelling of
mechanical behaviour of soils and stimulated my enthusiasm in frost heave simulation
modellinç. Dr. Peter J. Williams and Dr. Michael W. Smith provided useful discussions on
freezinç soils. 1 am very grateful to Mr. Daiyu Wang and Dr. J.F. Derick Nixon who gave me
the computer code of their frost heave prediction models. Margo Burgess and Dr. Alan Judge
of the Terrain Sciences Division of the Geological Survey of Canada and Steve Robinson of
McGill Univerity helped me in various stages of my field work at Norman Wells, NWT. 1
have profitted from valuable discussions with Dr. Chris Dirksen (Agncultural University of
Wageningen). Dr. Black. Dr. Nakano and Dr. Grant (al1 at CRREL, Hanover. NH).
Dr. Ahrned Shalaby (University of Manitoba). Dagrnar Svecova. and Mike New
helped me during my stniggles with finite element methods, Unix. Fortran and debugging. 1
am grateful to Christine Earl who allowed me access to her computer and scanner and
advised on the graphics of the thesis, and Larry Boyle who with virtually no notice provided
me fieldwork tools and produced the slides for my thesis presentation. John Torrance and
Debbie Williams helped me respectively with the laboratory work and production of the
report of that work. 1 owe much to the valuable discussions with my colleagues Elizabeth
Jetchik (1 leamed a lot from the opportunity to babysit your experiment, which kept me off
Diana Allen, Mark Sunohara, and Dan Riseborough. Dr. Chris Burn. and Dr. Doug King.
Steve Prashker. David Bertram and Greg Monsson provided help on cornputer related issues.
I am gratefùl to the ûiendly office staff at the Departments of Geography and Geology at
Carleton University: Hazel. Judy' Golda. Elaine and Else: Sheila and Sally.
I am gratefil for the funding I received to do the research: a Govemment of Canada
Award; NSERC and National Energy Board research funding through Dr. Peter J. Williams:
scholarships and bursaries ~ o Dmep artment of Graduate Studies and Department of Earth
Sciences of Carleton University: fmances from Interprovincial Pipelines for my stay at
Mackenzie House. Norman Wells, NWT.
Thanks to my dearest fiends Mike and Tomomi. Trish and Andrew. Lin and Martina:
my fiiends of the first hou: Yam Hean, Foong Peng, Johnny. Angie. Pimpin. Xiaolong. Jun.
Robin. Peter and Gifty; the geography crew: Josée Fine and lojography, John (The chosen
one). Steven, lim. Paula and Brenda; my Wends at distance Gemt-Jan and Sandra, Claartje,
Judith and Bettina: my new found kindred spirits Villia, and Lynn and Vince who were
instrumental in the greatest discovery of my thesis; my new found family members Dorothy
Johnson. Lloyd Slater, the MacLeods; and my brother and sisters (especially Noor). i want to
thank my loving parents Cees and Leonie Schellekens-Overling for al1 they have done that
enabled me to reach this goal. Most of al1 this thesis is a result From the suppon 1 received
from my dear and loving partner Shemll. T h d s f or al1 your encouragement.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
.......................
T.4BLE OF CONTENTS.. vii
............................
LIST OF FIGURES..
..............................
LIST OF TABLES.
...........................
LIST OF SYMBOLS..
...............................
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION
1. I Objectives ................................
1.2 Method.. .................................
1.3 Organization of thesis .......................
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CHAPTER 11 OBSERVATIONS AND hlEASUREiMENTS OF GROUM)
.................
FREEZING AND FROST HEAVE
11.1 Introduction ...............................
11.2 Ice formation in pores and primary heave ........
11.2.1 Thermal aspects of soi1 cooling ...........
11-22I nitial formation of ice ..................
11-23 Pore ice and primary heave ..............
11.2.4 Water flow to the freezing front. ..........
11-23 Exclusion of salts at the freezing front .....
11.3 Ice formation in lenses and secondary heave .....
11.3.1 Segregated ice and secondary heave .......
11.3 .2 The fieezing fringe .....................
11.3 -3 Grou& of the warmest ice lens. ..........
11.3.4 Redistribution of soi1 moisture by regelation
in the fieezinç fnnge ...................
11.4 Soi1 fieezing and fiost heave over time ..........
11.4.1 The frozen zone and tertiary heave ........
11.4.2 Freezing induced changes
in macro and micro structure. ............
11.4.3 Penetration of the fieezing front with tirne . .
11.4.4 Resulting soi1 profile ...................

111.2.5 Mechanics of a freezing soi1 . . . . . . . . . . . .
111.2.6 The resulting tiost heave simulation model
111.2.7 Numerical solution of the fiost heave
simulation model. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
111.2.8 EvaIuation of frost heave simulation models
111.3 The fiost heave prediction model of Wang (1994) .
III.3.I Physical base of the model . . . . . . . . . . . . .
111.3.2 Analytical solution of the model. . . . . . . . .
111.3.2.1 Solution of the heat transfer equation
111.3.7.2 Solution of the frost heave equation
111.3 -3 Numerical approximation of the conductive
heat flow equation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
111.3.3 Flow diagram and pseudocode. . . . . . . . . .
111.33 Input parameters for the frost heave prediction
model of Wang (1 994) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
111.3.6 Analysis of the sensitivity of the prediction
to the input parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
III.j.6.1 Thermal parameten . . . . . . . . . . .
III.3.6.2 Hydrauiic parameters. . . . . . . . . .