Assignment No.

02: Frozen Soils

Contents
1. Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 2
2. Foundations in Permafrost regions ............................................................................................. 2
3. Creep In PermaFrost. ................................................................................................................... 3
References: ............................................................................................................................................. 3
 Assignment No.02: Frozen Soils

Frozen Soils / Perma Frost

A Brief Summary

1. Introduction
Permafrost is a condition of permanently frozen ground where the ground temperature are
never higher than 0oC for more than two (02) years. This condition covers large areas of
northern Canada, Alsaka most of the Siberia and Antarctica.
It occurs in regions where the summer warmth fails to penetrate the ground sufficiently to
thaw the soil. These conditions prevail in high-latitude or high-mountain areas that cover
roughly a quarter of the Earth's land surface – including Alaska, Canada and Siberia. The
thickness of permafrost ranges from a few meters to many hundreds of meters, depending
on the local climate.
Active Zone:
In many areas active zone overlies the permafrost, Which thaws in season leaving a trapped
mass of water-saturated bog, peat and mud overlying the ice rich underlying soil.
Construction in these areas requires that foundation be placed below this material and into
the permafrost.
Insulation of Structure Permafrost Interface:
It is usually necessary to insulate the interface between structure and the permafrost so that
thawing of the underlying permafrost does not occur, either from building heat or because
of changed environmental conditions.
2. Foundations in Permafrost regions

Where the soil is considered thaw stable the foundation design is the same as in temperature
regions. Thaw stable soils are granular materials like coarse sands and gravels. These soils
will of course have to be of sufficient thickness that the active zone will not penetrate the
permafrost.

Spread and continuous footings, mats, and beam-and-post construction can be used.
Sometimes theses foundations can be used for thaw unstable soils. Often the use of these
foundations may require the use of thaw stable fill or ducting to reduce heat transfer into
the underlying permafrost.
 Assignment No.02: Frozen Soils

Pile foundations are more reliable for permafrost areas but are much more expensive. They
may be necessary, however, where large differential settlement cannot be tolerated. Piles
are commonly wood, steel pipe, or HP piles. Concrete piles are less common for several
reasons: transport cost, problem of curing if cast in place, and the high tensile stresses
developed from the soil water mixture freezing to the piles in the active zone. Piles may be
driven or inserted into predrilled holes, using a soil or sand- water slurry that freezes around
the pile to fix it in place.

3. Creep In PermaFrost.

For both piles and spread foundations on permafrost, creep is the significant parameter.
With creep (δc, mm/time) the long term settlement ΔHi sometime Ti after construction (and
load applied) is given as:

ΔHi = δc .Ti (mm)

References:

Foundation analysis and design by J E Bowles