Frost Heave Loading of Constrained Footing by Centrifuge Modeling

Abstract

This paper presents measurements and results of three centrifuge experiments that model the uplift loading of a constrained footing by the frost heaving of a layer of freezing, saturated silt. The experiments were performed at different scales to investigate the validity of scale factors predicted for small-scale frost heave modeling. The working hypothesis was that the developing frost heave forces measured in the different models should, using the predicted scale factors, scale to the same full-scale response. Results from the tests support this hypothesis and provide an indication that the centrifuge modeling technique is applicable to frost heave loading of structures.