Creep Behavior of Saline Fine‐Grained Frozen Soil

Abstract

Creep tests were conducted on a fine‐grained frozen soil at different salinities ranging from 0 to 20 ppt (parts per thousand), at temperatures between −5°C and −17°C and at two total water contents of around 34% and 52%. The test results indicated that the presence of salinity in the pore water considerably increases the creep strain rates of the frozen soil. This type of behavior is more prominent under high creep‐stress conditions. Unique relationships are found to exist between secondary strain rate and time, initial strain rate and relative creep load (creep stress to peak strength ratio), and initial strain and relative creep load. The relationships developed are not affected by the different salinity, temperature, and total water content conditions of the frozen soil. Similar creep behavior was observed when the frozen soil was subjected to similar relative creep loads under various temperature and salinity conditions. The results obtained in this study suggest a possible way of generalizing the creep characteristics of a frozen soil subjected to changing salinities and temperatures.