ARTIFICIAL

GROUND
FREEZING

PRESENTED BY
KETHAVATH KUMAR
 GENERAL INTRODUCTION

• Ground freezing is a soil stabilization technique carried out by continuously refrigerating the soil.
• The method of artificial ground freezing was found out by german scientist F. Hermann poetsch,
in 1883.
• First used in America in Chapin Mine Company (100 feet deep).
• Adopted to any size, shape or at any depth.
• Frozen ground is nearly twice strong as concrete.
• Dewatering at greater depths is uneconomical.
 PRINCIPLE OF GROUND FREEZING

• Basic principle of ground freezing is to circulate a cold medium through a suitable pipe system,
which cools the strata and thus converts the in- situ pore water to ice.
• Ice is so formed bonds adjacent soil particles together and forms an impermeable structure with
increased strength.
• When wet soil freezes, the water present in soil pores changes from liquid to solid that turns the
soil into a hard mass resembling concrete.
• The strength achieved depends on freeze temperature, moisture content and the nature of the soil
 FACTORS EFFECTING

• TYPE OF GROUND (SOIL MINEROLOGY STRUCTURE)

• THERMAL PROPERTIES
• MOISTURE CONTENT
• AMOUNT OF WATER TO BE FROZEN
• FREEZING TEMPERATURE AND RATE OF FREEZING
• SEEPAGE VELOCITY
PROCESS OF GROUND FREEZING
METHODS OF GROUND FREEZING
DIRECT METHOD
 INDIRECT METHOD
• Two coolants are used in this method. The first is the Ammonia
and the second coolant is Calcium Chloride(brine)
• The ammonia is compresses in the freezing unit and passes to
cool down. The condenser cools down the ammonia from
gasses form to liquid form.
• This liquid ammonia is passed and the secondary coolant is
cooled down by the liquid ammonia.
• The brine cooler, or evaporator, includes a series of coils for
circulating the ammonia and helps to convert any remaining
liquid ammonia into vapor.
• The cooled brine solution is passed to the tubes driven parallel
to the ground.
CHARACTERISTICS OF LIQUID NITROGEN AND BRINE

3.MIXED METHOD:
• The so-called mixed method uses the liquid nitrogen for the freezing phase and the brine for the
maintenance phase. It saves time for the freezing phase compared to the brine method.
• It can be quite expensive, since it requires the installation of a separate distribution system for both
brine and liquid nitrogen and the use of copper pipes inside the steel freezing pipes.
• Soil Freezing After the nitrogen freezing phase, the temperature of the copper pipes needs to be above -
35 °C for the liquid brine to circulate, otherwise the brine could freeze into the pipes.
 CHANGES IN GROUND PROPERTIES

• VOLUME CHANGE-FROST HEAVE FORCES

• COMPRESSION STRENGTH
• SHEAR BEHAVIOUR
• PERMEABILITY
 APPLICATIONS
Natural Groundwater Cut-off at Shallow Depth

• Cuts off groundwater along sides and bottom to eliminate

dewatering. Manifold
• Provides stable shoring with no internal bracing or struts.
• Batter freeze pipe can be used to allow heavy construction
traffic along the top of the wall.
 APPLICATIONS

TUNNELLING

• Provides stable shoring to allow tunnelling

in wet, loose soils or fractured bedrock.
• Effective for cutting off ground water into
tunnel excavation.
• Frozen soil/rock can be used as shoring
around unfrozen soil or the entire soil/rock
mass can be frozen
 APPLICATIONS
GROUND WATER CUTOFF WALL
• A frozen soil cut-off can be used to prevent
groundwater from entering open pit mines,
gravel pits, landfills and other similar
facilities that are below groundwater.

• Eliminates or greatly reduces the need for

dewatering.
• Can also be used to stop the migration of
contaminated groundwater near streams or
lakes.
• Maintenance of a buried frozen soil cutoff is
relatively inexpensive making it competitive
for long-term cut-offs.
PICTURES OF GROUND FREEZING
THANK YOU😀