Experimental study on the mechanism of ice layer formation in fractured rock masses in cold regions

The formation and growth of ice layers in fractured rock masses is one of the main causes of frost weathering in bedrock in cold regions. The mechanism of ice layer formation in fractured rock masses was simulated in this study by conducting frost weathering tests on a simulated rock mass with a vertical through fracture, which was fabricated by splicing two cement blocks. The test results were used to propose a novel mechanism for ice layer formation in terms of the initial crack-frost effect in which moisture mainly migrates in vapor form. The continuous accumulation and growth of these frosts eventually forms an ice layer that expands the crack, and the fractured rock simulation model undergoes frost-heaving damage. The frost layer on the rock wall in the negative temperature region is similar to the frosting process on the cold surface of thermodynamic studies. The relative humidity (RH) gradient and temperature gradient were shown to be the factors affecting water vapor migration, where the former plays a direct and dominant role, and the temperature gradient has a very limited direct effect on vapor migration.

Automated summary

The formation and growth of ice layers in fractured rock masses is a major cause of frost weathering in bedrock in cold regions. This study conducted frost weathering tests on a simulated rock mass with a vertical through fracture to simulate the mechanism of ice layer formation. The results revealed a novel mechanism for ice layer formation and explored the effects of relative humidity and temperature gradients on water vapor migration.