The Effect of Temperature Pathways on Unfrozen Water and Thermal Parameters of Frozen Soils

Abstract

To reduce the influence of unfrozen water content and thermal parameter variations caused by freeze–thaw cycles on temperature field predictions, the water content of unfrozen sand and clay was measured during freeze and thaw. The specific heat capacity, apparent specific heat capacity, and thermal conductivity of frozen soil were calculated using the mass-weighted average, equivalent latent heat, and geometric average methods, respectively. On this basis, the hysteresis behaviors of unfrozen water content and the variations of thermal parameters of frozen soil with temperature and temperature pathways were analyzed.