Laboratory study on quantitative parameter of structural characteristics of soils considering effect of freeze-thaw cycles

The structural characteristics of soils can essentially reveal the fundamentals of geotechnical behaviors. The freeze-thaw cycles have very important effect on them. Based on the quantitative structural parameter, comprehensive structural potential (CSP) proposed by Xie Dingyi, a modified structural parameter, a comprehensive structure potential with consideration of freeze-thaw cycles (CSPFT), is proposed. The routine uniaxial compression and uniaxial loading-unloading compression tests are conducted to get the 4 indexes of uniaxial compression strength, failure strain, resilient modulus and energy dissipation, which are used to constitute the CSPFT. The differences between CSPFTs constituted from the 4 indexes are also discussed. CT scanning of soil samples under different cycles is conducted to analyze the reliability of CSPFT, and CSPFTs of strength and energy dissipation are better than those of the other two ones. The relationships between the CSPFTs of different parameters rely on the soil types, stress paths and other factors, which are worth for further discussion.