Experimental study on the mechanical properties of clayey soil under di erent freezing apparatustemperatures and freeze-thaw cycles

The aim of this study is to investigate the mechanical properties of clayey soilwith dierent moisture content. two groups of clayey soil with dierent moisture contentwere prepared as samples. one group of samples was subjected to eleven freeze-thaw cyclesunder a constant freezing apparatus temperature in an enclosed apparatus. the othergroup was subjected to one freeze-thaw cycle exposed to a decreasing freezing apparatustemperature in an enclosed apparatus. a series of triaxial compression experiments wereconducted on both groups of samples. the rst experimental results indicated that themechanical properties of the clayey soil changed after the freeze-thaw cycles under constantfreezing apparatus temperature, and cohesion decreased with an increased number offreeze-thaw cycles and increased moisture content. in addition, the internal friction angleincreased with the number of freeze-thaw cycles and decreased with increased moisturecontent. however, the moisture content of the clayey soil had a greater inuence on cohesionthan the internal friction angle. additional experimental group results indicated that theinternal friction angle of the clayey soil diminished with a decrease in the freezing apparatustemperature and increased moisture content. finally, cohesion increased with a decreasein either the freezing apparatus temperature or moisture content.