MEASUREMENT AND PREDICTION OF FROST PENETRATION IN HIGHWAYS

Through a 5-year program of measurement of frost depths by use of frost depth indicators at 62 locations in Ontario, a body of data has been acquired and used to make the frost penetration vs air freezing index relationship more appropriate to Ontario. To further assist the user of this relationship, a freezing index map of the province has been created from published temperature data, observed at 224 locations during the period of 1941-1970. The map was prepared using a method recently developed by the National Research Council of Canada which calculates the air freezing index from mean monthly temperatures. While the method is simple to use, certain local factors such as soil type and moisture content influence the actual depth of frost penetration. To enable such effects to be evaluated, and to provide the capability of examining the effects of insulation and frost retaining layers, a computerized solution to the heat flow relationships was developed for the Ministry by Carleton University. The program has the ability to predict the maximum frost penetration and ground temperatures from input information which is, in most cases, widely available. Computer predictions at several sites have been compared with measurements of actual frost penetration/time profiles. (TRRL)

• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Association of Canada (TAC)

  401-1111 Prince of Wales Drive
  Ottawa, Ontario  Canada 
• Authors:
  • CHISHOLM, R
  • Phang, W A
• Publication Date: 1980

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 47-57
• Serial:
  • RTAC FORUM
  • Volume: 3
  • Issue Number: 1

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air; Coefficients; Computer programming; Computer programs; Forecasting; Foundations; Freezing; Frost; Heat flow; Maps; Measurement; Moisture content; Pavements; Pendulum tests; Soil water; Soils; Temperature
• Uncontrolled Terms: Frost penetration
• Geographic Terms: Canada
• Old TRIS Terms: Soil temperature
• ITRD Terms: 6714: Air; 8018: Canada; 6410: Coefficient; 132: Forecast; 3377: Foundation; 2585: Frost; 4074: Map; 5920: Moisture content; 2955: Pavement; 6285: Penetration; 8645: Software; 4156: Soil
• Subject Areas: Design; Geotechnology; Highways; Pavements; I22: Design of Pavements, Railways and Guideways;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00345801
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transportation Association of Canada (TAC)
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Feb 27 1982 12:00AM