Journal of Cold Regions Engineering

Two series of reversed freezing tests were performed on two hydrophobic and two hydrophilic particulate materials. The tests were conducted to study the role of the adsorbed water film in the freezing and heavy process. The results demonstrate that it is possible to grow ice crystals and ice lenses in a hydrophobic material. During these reversed freezing tests, growth of ice crystals and frost heave occurred in both the hydrophobic and hydrophilic materials. Ice lenses formed as the temperature in the samples approached thermal equilibrium at 358 hours into the test. The coalescence of individual needlelike ice crystals, approximately 1 cm in length, were observed in the hydrophobic material. The experimental data suggest that frost heave occurs from the regeneration of water films on the surface of ice crystals during growth.

A new graduate course in cold regions construction management was offered for the first time at the University of Alaska Fairbanks in the spring semester 1992. Students prepared and presented written and oral reports on: (1) Historical cold regions construction projects; and (2) major elements of cold regions construction management. In addition, they prepared annotated bibliographies from the construction management literature, summarized guest lectures, and conducted and reported on a cold concrete laboratory experiment. The concrete experiment tested the compressive strength of samples with varying amounts of “antifreeze” admixtures that were cured at temperatures both above and below freezing. Guest lecturers from the Alaska construction industry spoke on a variety of topics ranging from concreting to equipment operation and from legal aspects to design management. With some modifications to the cold concrete experiment, an improved balance of topics and more publicity, the next offering of the course will be a valuable addition to the graduate program at UAF.