IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v15y2023i18p13397-d1234735.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Experimental and Numerical Analyses on the Frost Heave Deformation of Reclaimed Gravel from a Tunnel Excavation as a Structural Fill in Cold Mountainous Regions

Author

Listed:
  • Libo Wu

    (School of Civil Engineering and Hydraulic Engineering, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, China)

  • Fujun Niu

    (School of Civil Engineering and Transportation, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510641, China
    State Key Laboratory of Frozen Soil Engineering, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China)

  • Zhanju Lin

    (State Key Laboratory of Frozen Soil Engineering, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China)

  • Yunhu Shang

    (State Key Laboratory of Frozen Soil Engineering, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China)

  • Sanjay Nimbalkar

    (School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia)

  • Daichao Sheng

    (School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia)

Abstract

In cold mountainous regions of China, the construction of highways is challenging, owing to frost damage of weak subgrade soils and the difficulties posed from dealing with waste materials derived from tunnel excavation. In order to address these issues, Wu et al. proposed a new approach of using coarse gravel reclaimed from tunnel excavation as an antifrost structural fill replacing the top layer of frost-susceptible subgrade soils. This approach was validated against the results of field investigations on the highway between Tanchang county and Diebu county (the TDH) in south Gansu Province, northwest China, but only studied the results of the first year. As an environmentally friendly and sustainable ground-treatment method, this strategy merits extensive research and widespread implementation. In this study, the frost-heave deformation of a two-year monitoring period is investigated through a field trial, and a frost-heave model is applied to explore the growth of the ice lens and accomplish the quantitative prediction of frost heave based on experimental measurements. The fine particles of reclaimed gravel sediments from the Lazikou tunnel are found to be resistant to frost. The measured values of the maximum frost heave are significantly lower than the permissible limit of 50 mm specified in the Chinese standards. The reclaimed gravel could significantly reduce frost heave. With a 2 m thick gravel fill, frost heave could be reduced by more than 70% when the groundwater table is located at a depth greater than 3 m. An empirical relationship to predict the frost heave in terms of the gravel fill thickness is proposed. This study presents a safe and sustainable approach focusing on the construction of highways in cold mountainous regions.

Suggested Citation

  • Libo Wu & Fujun Niu & Zhanju Lin & Yunhu Shang & Sanjay Nimbalkar & Daichao Sheng, 2023. "Experimental and Numerical Analyses on the Frost Heave Deformation of Reclaimed Gravel from a Tunnel Excavation as a Structural Fill in Cold Mountainous Regions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(18), pages 1-20, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:18:p:13397-:d:1234735
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/18/13397/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/18/13397/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Pei, Wansheng & Zhang, Mingyi & Lai, Yuanming & Yan, Zhongrui & Li, Shuangyang, 2019. "Evaluation of the ground heat control capacity of a novel air-L-shaped TPCT-ground (ALTG) cooling system in cold regions," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 179(C), pages 655-668.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Chen, Lin & Yu, Wenbing & Zhang, Tianqi & Yi, Xin, 2023. "Asymmetric talik formation beneath the embankment of Qinghai-Tibet Highway triggered by the sunny-shady effect," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 266(C).
    2. Li, Chenglin & Zhang, Guozhu & Xiao, Suguang & Shi, Yehui & Xu, Chenghua & Sun, Yinjuan, 2023. "Numerical investigation on thermal performance enhancement mechanism of tunnel lining GHEs using two-phase closed thermosyphons for building cooling," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 212(C), pages 875-886.
    3. Zueter, Ahmad F. & Sasmito, Agus P., 2023. "Cold energy storage as a solution for year-round renewable artificial ground freezing: Case study of the Giant Mine Remediation Project," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 203(C), pages 664-676.
    4. Yanhu, Mu & Guoyu, Li & Wei, Ma & Zhengmin, Song & Zhiwei, Zhou & Wang, Fei, 2020. "Rapid permafrost thaw induced by heat loss from a buried warm-oil pipeline and a new mitigation measure combining seasonal air-cooled embankment and pipe insulation," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 203(C).
    5. Ma, Qinguo & Luo, Xiaoxiao & Gao, Jianqiang & Sun, Weiyu & Li, Yongdong & Lan, Tianli, 2022. "Numerical evaluation for cooling performance of a composite measure on expressway embankment with shady and sunny slopes in permafrost regions," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 244(PB).
    6. Guanfu Wang & Jiajun Bi & Youkai Fan & Long Zhu & Feng Zhang & Decheng Feng, 2022. "Settlement Characteristic of Warm Permafrost Embankment with Two-Phase Closed Thermosyphons in Daxing’anling Mountains Region," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-20, September.
    7. Cao, Yapeng & Li, Guoyu & Ma, Wei & Chen, Dun & Shang, Yunhu & Wu, Gang & Gao, Kai & Ying, Sai, 2023. "Permafrost degradation induced by warm-oil pipelines and analytical results of thermosyphon-based thawing mitigation," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 269(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:18:p:13397-:d:1234735. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.