Mathematical Model of Frost Heave and Thaw Settlement in Pavements

Since 1975 the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Federal Highway Administration and the Federal Aviation Administration have been working cooperatively to develop a mathematical model to estimate frost heave and thaw weakening under various environmental conditions and for various pavement designs. A model has been developed. It is a one-dimensional representation of vertical heat and moisture flux, is based on a numerical solution technique termed the nodal domain integration method, and estimates frost heave and frost penetration reasonably well for a variety of situations. The model is now ready for additional field evaluation and implementation in appropriate cases. The main objectives of this report are: (1) to describe the model, FROST, including modeling uncertainties and errors; (2) to summarize recent comparisons between measured and computed values for frost heave and frost penetration; and (3) to describe parameters necessary for input into the model. Frost heave, Numerical methods Frost-susceptible soil, Pavements, Mathematical model, Soil freezing Heat and moisture, Soil thawing. Transport in soils,