Erosion Potential of Frost-Susceptible Soils Subjected to Freeze-Thaw Cycles

This paper presents the results of a series of laboratory experiments performed to evaluate the erosion potential of silt and clay deposits that were subjected to repeated freeze-thaw cycles. The effects of climate change are more pronounced with several soil erosion, slope failures, and other mass-wasting event sites. To evaluate the erosion potential with cyclic freezing and thawing, soils from different geological formations with dominant silt and clay fractions were collected. Basic characterization of soils including unified soil classification system (USCS) classification, Atterberg limits, Proctor tests, and mineralogy were determined. The samples were prepared with three different moisture contents' optimum moisture content (OMC) and ±5% OMC. Samples were subjected to freeze-thaw (F-T) patterns using a custom-built device that facilitates top-down freezing similar to in situ conditions. After 0, 1, 2, 10, and 20 F-T cycles, samples were tested for erosion potential using a modified erosion function apparatus for different flow conditions and molded moisture content. The coefficient of soil erosion, sediment loss, and volume of eroded soil was determined for the samples after each cycle. Test results and analyses depicted that the erosion potential of these soils significantly increased with an initial increase in F-T cycles. This paper highlights the vulnerability of the soils to erosion after thawing.