In Situ Ground Freezing to Obtain Undisturbed Samples of Loose Sand
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 126, Issue 11
Abstract
In situ ground freezing with liquid nitrogen can be an excellent technique for obtaining high quality undisturbed samples from a wide range of loose sand deposits, with their in situ conditions preserved. This paper describes the techniques used during the CANLEX project to carry out in situ ground freezing and undisturbed sampling of the loose sand deposits encountered at six test sites. Specific details, with respect to the effects of difficult subsoil or ground-water conditions encountered at the sites, are provided. Modifications made to the ground freezing and sampling system to accommodate difficult ground conditions are described. The actual advance of the freezing front and the consumption of liquid nitrogen are compared with theoretical predictions. The dry coring technique utilized to recover undisturbed frozen sand samples is described. The void ratios measured for the frozen core samples are compared with void ratio measurements obtained using geophysical logging in boreholes located within a 5-m radius of the freeze pipe. The costs associated with in situ ground freezing utilizing liquid nitrogen and coring of the frozen sand at six test sites are presented.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
References
1.
Andersland, O., et al. ( 1991). “Mechanical and thermal design of frozen soil structures.” Proc., Int. Symp. on Ground Freezing, ISGF—Working Group 2.
2.
Anderson, D. M., and Tice, A. R. ( 1972). “Predicting unfrozen water contents in frozen soils from surface area measurements.” Hwy. Res. Rec. 393, 12–18.
3.
Biggar, K. W., and Sego, D. C. ( 1996). “In-situ ground freezing and sampling.” CANLEX Tech. Rep., Phase IV, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alta, Canada.
4.
Broms, B. B. (1980). “Soil sampling in Europe: State-of-the-art.”J. Geotech. Engrg. Div., ASCE, 106(1), 65–98.
5.
Byrne, P. M., Robertson, P. K., Plewes, H. D., List, B. R., and Tan, S. ( 1995). “Liquefaction event planning.” 49th Can. Geotech. Conf., Canadian Geotechnical Society, Alliston, Ontario, 341–352.
6.
Davila, R. S., Sego, D. C., and Robertson, P. K. ( 1992). “Undisturbed sampling of sandy soils by freezing.” 45th Can. Geotech. Conf., Canadian Geotechnical Society, Alliston, Ontario, 13A-1–13A-10.
7.
Farouki, O. T. ( 1981). “Thermal properties of soils relevant to ground freezing. Design techniques for their estimation.” Proc., 3rd Int. Symp. on Ground Freezing, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, CRREL, 139–146.
8.
Farouki, O. T. ( 1986). Thermal properties of soils, Trans Tech Publications, Vol. 11, Clausthal-Zellerfeld, Germany.
9.
Hashemi, H. T., and Sliepcevich, C. M. ( 1973). “Effect of seepage stream on artificial soil freezing.” Proc., Ground Freezing Conf.: Devel. in Geotech. Engrg., Vol. 28, 189–201.
10.
Hatanaka, M., Sugimoto, M., and Yoshio, S. ( 1985). “Liquefaction resistance of two alluvial volcanic soils sampled by in-situ freezing.” Soils and Found., Tokyo, 25(3), 49–63.
11.
Hatanaka, M., Uchida, A., and Oh-Oka, H. ( 1995). “Correlation between the liquefaction strengths of saturated sands obtained by in-situ freezing method and rotary-type triple tube method.” Soils and Found., Tokyo, 35(2), 67–75.
12.
Hazen, A. ( 1911). “Discussion of `Dams on sand foundations,' by A. C. Koenig.” Trans. ASCE, 73, 199–203.
13.
Hight, D. W., and Georgiannou, V. N. ( 1995). “Effects of sampling on the undrained behaviour of clayey sands.” Géotechnique, London, 45(2), 237–247.
14.
Hofmann, B. A. ( 1997). “In-situ ground freezing to obtain undisturbed samples of loose sand for liquefaction assessment.” PhD thesis, Dept. of Civ. and Envir. Engrg., University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alta., Canada.
15.
Hofmann, B. A., et al. ( 1996a). “CANLEX Phase III—Full scale liquefaction test: site characterization.” Proc., 49th Can. Geotech. Conf., Canadian Geotechnical Society, Alliston, Ontario, 579–586.
16.
Hofmann, B. A., Robertson, P. K., Gräpel, C. K., Cyre, G., Lefebvre, M., and Natarajan, S. ( 1996b). “CANLEX Phase III—Full scale liquefaction test: Instrumentation and construction.” Proc., 49th Can. Geotech. Conf., Canadian Geotechnical Society, Alliston, Ontario, 587–596.
17.
Hofmann, B. A., Sego, D. C., and Robertson, P. K. ( 1994). “Undisturbed sampling of a deep, loose sand deposit using ground freezing.” Proc., 47th Can. Geotech. Conf., Canadian Geotechnical Society, Alliston, Ontario, 287–296.
18.
Hofmann, B. A., Sego, D. C., and Robertson, P. K. ( 1995). “In-situ ground freezing for undisturbed samples of loose sand—Phase II.” Proc., 48th Can. Geotech. Conf., Canadian Geotechnical Society, Alliston, Ontario, 197–204.
19.
Johansen, C. ( 1975). “Thermal conductivity of soils.” PhD thesis, University of Trondheim, Trondheim, Norway.
20.
Küpper, A., Lawrence, M., Howie, J., and Plewes, H. ( 1995). “The use of geophysical logging techniques at the CANLEX project.” Proc., 48th Can. Geotech. Conf., Canadian Geotechnical Society, Alliston, Ontario, 81–88.
21.
Little, T. E., Imrie, A. S., and Psutka, J. F. ( 1994). “Geologic and seismic setting pertinent to dam safety review of Duncan Dam.” Can. Geotech. J., Ottawa, 31, 919–926.
22.
Monahan, P. A., Luternauer, J. L., and Barrie, J. V. ( 1995). “The geology of the CANLEX Phase II sites in Delta and Richmond, British Columbia.” Proc., 48th Can. Geotech. Conf., Canadian Geotechnical Society, Alliston, Ontario, 59–68.
23.
Plewes, H. D., McRoberts, E. C., and Chan, W. K. ( 1988). “Downhole nuclear density logging in sand tailings.” Proc., ASCE Spec. Conf. on Hydr. Fill Struct., ASCE, New York, 290–309.
24.
Robertson, P. K., et al. ( 2000). “The Canadian Liquefaction Experiment: An overview.” Can. Geotech. J., Ottawa, 37, 499–504.
25.
Sanger, F. J., and Sayles, F. H. ( 1979). “Thermal and rheological computations for artificially frozen ground construction.” Engrg. Geology, 13, 311–337.
26.
Seed, H. B., Singh, S., Chan, C. K., and Vilela, T. F. (1982). “Considerations in undisturbed sampling of sands.”J. Geotech. Engrg. Div., ASCE, 108(2), 265–283.
27.
Sego, D. C., Robertson, P. K., Sasitharan, S., Kilpatrick, B. L., and Pillai, V. S. ( 1994). “Ground freezing and sampling of foundations soils at Duncan Dam.” Can. Geotech. J., Ottawa, 31, 939–950.
28.
Singh, S., Seed, H. B., and Chan, C. K. (1982). “Undisturbed sampling of saturated sands by freezing.”J. Geotech. Engrg. Div., ASCE, 108(2), 247–264.
29.
Sladen, J. A., D'Hollander, R. D., and Krahn, J. ( 1985). “The liquefaction of sands, a collapse surface approach.” Can. Geotech. J., Ottawa, 22(4), 564–578.
30.
Tokimatsu, K., and Hosaka, Y. ( 1986). “Effects of sample disturbance on dynamic properties of sand.” Soils and Found., Tokyo, 26(1), 53–64.
31.
Wride, C. E., and Robertson, P. K. ( 1997). “CANLEX: Introductory data review report.” CANLEX Tech. Rep., University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alta., Canada.
32.
Wride, C. E., and Robertson, P. K. ( 1998). “CANLEX: Final summary data review report.” CANLEX Tech. Rep., University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alta., Canada.
33.
Wride, C. E., et al. ( 2000a). “Interpretation of in situ test results from the CANLEX sites.” Can. Geotech. J., Ottawa, 37, 505–529.
34.
Wride, C. E., et al. ( 2000b). “Ground sampling program at the CANLEX test sites.” Can. Geotech. J., Ottawa, 37, 530–542.
35.
Yoshimi, Y., Hatanaka, M., and Oh-Oka, H. ( 1978). “Undisturbed sampling of saturated sands by freezing.” Soils and Found., Tokyo, 18, 59–73.
36.
Yoshimi, Y., Tokimatsu, K., and Hasaka, Y. ( 1989). “Evaluation of liquefaction resistance of clean sands based on high-quality undisturbed samples.” Soils and Found., Tokyo, 29(1), 93–104.
37.
Yoshimi, Y., Tokimatsu, K., Kaneko, O., and Makihara, Y. ( 1984). “Undrained cyclic shear strength of a dense Niigata sand.” Soils and Found., Tokyo, 24(4), 131–145.
38.
Yoshimi, Y., Tokimatsu, K., and Ohara, J. ( 1994). “In-situ liquefaction resistance of clean sands over a wide density range.” Géotechnique, London, 44(3), 479–494.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
History
Received: Sep 21, 1998
Published online: Nov 1, 2000
Published in print: Nov 2000
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.