Evaluation of a Freeze-Thaw Index Model for Predicting Frost Penetration in Soils

Many low-volume roads in the United States and other countries are located in seasonal frost areas, where freeze-thaw processes result in costly damage to the roadways. In order to reduce damage, road management agencies apply Spring Load Restrictions (SLRs), which restrict the allowable load on the road during the critical time interval when the pavement is most vulnerable to damage. Historically, most transportation agencies imposed SLRs based on set dates and/or visual inspection procedures. More recently, however, many transportation agencies would prefer to establish SLR application and duration according to science-based decisions rather than merely using hard physical dates, or individual judgment. A few agencies apply and remove SLRs based upon measured subsurface temperature profiles. Because atmospheric weather data is more readily available and much less expensive to obtain than subsurface temperature data, many transportation agencies are moving towards the use of predictive models based upon atmospheric weather data to predict subsurface frost-thaw profiles. Many of these models are based upon the Freezing Index (FI) and the Thawing Index (TI), which are computed based upon air temperature data only. The purpose of this project is to evaluate the accuracy of a freeze-thaw index model by comparing output from the model with measured subsurface temperature profiles obtained at nine different field test sections in Northern New Hampshire over a period of three years. Results of the project suggest that the freeze-thaw index model shows much promise as a cost-effective aid in deciding when to place and remove SLRs.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper was sponsored by TRB committee AFB30 Low-Volume Roads
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Miller, Heather
  • Rodriguez, Andrew
  • Kestler, Maureen A
  • Berg, Richard L
  • Eaton, Robert
• Conference:
  • Transportation Research Board 91st Annual Meeting
  • Location: Washington DC, United States
  • Date: 2012-1-22 to 2012-1-26
• Date: 2012

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 15p
• Monograph Title: TRB 91st Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers DVD

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Field tests; Freeze thaw durability; Low volume roads; Pavement distress; Size and weight regulations
• Uncontrolled Terms: Subsurface temperature
• Geographic Terms: New Hampshire
• Subject Areas: Highways; Pavements; I22: Design of Pavements, Railways and Guideways;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01373370
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: 12-2519
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Jun 21 2012 4:37PM