ASTM D4083-89(1994)e2
(Practice)Standard Practice for Description of Frozen Soils (Visual-Manual Procedure)
Standard Practice for Description of Frozen Soils (Visual-Manual Procedure)
SCOPE
1.1 This practice presents a procedure for the description of frozen soils based on visual examination and simple manual tests.
1.2 It is intended to be used in conjunction with Test Method D 2487 and Practice D 2488, which describe and classify soils, but do not cover their frozen state.
1.3 This procedure is based on "Guide to Field Description of Permafrost for Engineering Purposes," National Research Council of Canada, 1963, and MIL-STD-619.
1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
1.5 This practice offers a set of instructions for performing one or more specific operations. This document cannot replace education or experience and should be used in conjunction with professional judgment. Not all aspects of this practice may be applicable in all circumstances. This ASTM standard is not intended to represent or replace the standard of care by which the adequacy of a given professional service must be judged, nor should this document be applied without consideration of a project's many unique aspects. The word "Standard" in the title of this document means only that the document has been approved through the ASTM consensus process.
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e2
Designation: D 4083 – 89 (Reapproved 1994)
AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR TESTING AND MATERIALS
100 Barr Harbor Dr., West Conshohocken, PA 19428
Reprinted from the Annual Book of ASTM Standards. Copyright ASTM
Standard Practice for
Description of Frozen Soils (Visual-Manual Procedure)
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D 4083; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the Department of Defense.
e NOTE—Keywords were added in January 1994. Section 1.4 was added editorially in January 1999.
1. Scope Roads, Airfields, Embankments and Foundations
1.1 This practice presents a procedure for the description of
3. Terminology
frozen soils based on visual examination and simple manual
3.1 Definitions:
tests.
3.1.1 Definitions of the soil components of a frozen soil
1.2 It is intended to be used in conjunction with Test Method
mass, that is, boulders, cobbles, gravel, sand, fines (silt and
D 2487 and Practice D 2488, which describe and classify soils,
clay), and organic soils and peat shall be in accordance with
but do not cover their frozen state.
Terminology D 653.
1.3 This procedure is based on “Guide to Field Description
3.1.2 The following terms are used in conjunction with the
of Permafrost for Engineering Purposes,” National Research
description of frozen ground areas (Fig. 1):
Council of Canada, 1963, and MIL-STD-619.
3.1.2.1 annual frost zone (active layer)—the top layer of
1.4 This practice offers a set of instructions for performing
ground subject to annual freezing and thawing.
one or more specific operations. This document cannot replace
3.1.2.2 frost table—the frozen surface, usually irregular,
education or experience and should be used in conjunction
that represents the level, to which thawing of seasonally frozen
with professional judgment. Not all aspects of this practice may
ground has penetrated. See Fig. 1.
be applicable in all circumstances. This ASTM standard is not
3.1.2.3 frozen zone—a range of depth within which the soil
intended to represent or replace the standard of care by which
is frozen. The frozen zone may be bounded both top and
the adequacy of a given professional service must be judged,
bottom by unfrozen soil, or at the top by the ground surface.
nor should this document be applied without consideration of
3.1.2.4 ground ice—a body of more or less clear ice within
a project’s many unique aspects. The word “Standard” in the
frozen ground.
title of this document means only that the document has been
3.1.2.5 ice wedge—a wedge-shaped mass in permafrost,
approved through the ASTM consensus process.
usually associated with fissures in polygons.
2. Referenced Documents 3.1.2.6 icing—a surface ice mass formed by freezing of
successive sheets of water.
2.1 ASTM Standards:
3.1.2.7 permafrost—the thermal condition in soil or rock,
D 420 Guide for Investigating and Sampling Soil and Rock
wherein the materials have existed at a temperature below 0°C
D 653 Terminology Relating to Soil, Rock, and Contained
(32°F) continuously for a number of years. Pore fluids or ice
Fluids
may or may not be present.
D 1452 Practice for Soil Investigation and Sampling by
3.1.2.8 permafrost table—the surface that represents the
Auger Borings
upper limit of permafrost.
D 2487 Classification of Soils for Engineering Purposes
3.1.2.9 polygons (polygonal ground)—more or less regular-
(Unified Soil Classification System)
sized surface patterns created by thermal contraction of the
D 2488 Practice for Description and Identification of Soils
ground. Two types are common: (a) those with depressed
(Visual-Manual Procedure)
centers and (b) those with raised centers.
2.2 Military Standard:
3.1.2.10 residual thaw zone—a layer of unfrozen ground
MIL-STD-619 Unified Soil Classification System for
between the permafrost and the annual frost zone. This layer
Available from Naval Publications and Forms Center, 5801 Tabor Ave.,
This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D-18 on Soil and
Philadelphia, PA 19120.
Rockand is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D18.19 on Frozen Soils and
For more complete lists of generally accepted terms used in the description of
Rock. frozen ground see: Hennion, F., “Frost and Permafrost Definitions,” Bulletin 111,
Current edition approved Feb. 24, 1989. Published October 1989. Originally Highway Research Board, Washington, DC 1955; and Brown, R. J. E., and Kupsch,
published as D 4083 – 82. Last previous edition D 4083 – 83. W. D., “Permafrost Terminology,” Technical Memorandum No. 111, National
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 04.08. Research Council of Canada, 1974.
D 4083
FIG. 1 Illustration of Frozen Soil Terminology
does not exist where annual frost extends to permafrost. other materials in the water, or from the freezing of saturated
3.1.3 The following terms are used to describe the charac- snow. Though porous, the mass retains its structural unity.
teristics of the frozen earth: 3.1.3.13 thaw stable—the characteristic of frozen soils that,
3.1.3.1 candled ice—ice that has rotted or otherwise formed
upon thawing, do not show loss of strength in comparison to
into long columnar crystals, very loosely bonded together. normal, long-time thawed values nor produce detrimental
3.1.3.2 clear ice—ice that is transparent and contains only a
settlement.
moderate number of air bubbles. 3.1.3.14 thaw unstable—the characteristic of frozen soils
3.1.3.3 cloudy ice—ice that is translucent or relatively
that, upon thawing, show significant loss of strength in
opaque due to the content of air or for other reasons, but which comparison to normal, long-time thawed values or produce
is essentially sound and nonpervious.
significant settlement, or both, as a direct result of the melting
3.1.3.4 excess ice—ice in excess of the fraction that would of excess ice in the soil.
be retained as water in the soil voids after thawing.
3.1.3.15 well bonded—a condition in which the soil par-
3.1.3.5 friable—a condition under which the material is
ticles are strongly held together by the ice so that the frozen
easily broken up under light to moderate pressure.
soil possesses relatively high resistance to chipping or break-
3.1.3.6 granular ice—ice that is composed of coarse, more
ing.
or less equidimensional, crystals weakly bonded together.
3.1.3.7 ice coatings on particles—discernible layers of ice
4. Significance and Use
found on or below the larger soil particles in a frozen soil mass.
4.1 This practice is intended primarily for use by geotech-
They are sometimes associated with hoarfrost crystals, which
nical engineers and technicians and geologists in the field,
have grown into voids produced by the freezing action.
where the soil profile or samples from it may be observed in a
3.1.3.8 ice crystal—a very small individual ice particle
relatively undisturbed (frozen) state.
visible in the face of a soil mass. Crystals may be present alone
4.2 It may also be used in the laboratory to describe the
or in combination with other ice formations.
condition of relatively undisturbed soil samples that have been
3.1.3.9 ice lenses—lenticular ice formations in soil occur-
maintained in a frozen condition following their acquisition in
ring essentially parallel to each other, generally normal to the
the field.
direction of heat loss, and commonly in repeated layers.
4.3 The practice is not intended to be used in describing
3.1.3.10 ice segregation—the growth of ice within soil in
unfrozen soils or disturbed samples of frozen soil.
excess of the amount that may be produced by the in-place
conversion of the original void moisture to ice. Ice segregation
5. Apparatus
occurs most often as distinct lenses, layers, veins, and masses,
5.1 Required Apparatus:
commonly, but not always, oriented normal to the direction of
5.1.1 Pocket knife or small spatula.
heat flow.
5.1.2 Low-power magnifying hand lens.
3.1.3.11 poorly bonded—a condition in which the soil
5.1.3 Pint-size graduated jars.
particles are weakly held together by the ice so that the frozen
5.2 Useful Auxiliary Apparatus:
soil has poor resistance to chipping and breaking.
5.2.1 Camera.
3.1.3.12 porous ice—ice that contains numerous voids,
5.2.2 Small bottle of dilute hydrochloric acid.
usually interconnected and usually resulting from melting at air
bubbles or along crystal interfaces from presence of salt or 5.2.3 Small test tube and stopper.
D 4083
NOTE 1—Frozen soils in the N group may, on close examination, indicate presence of ice within the voids of the material by crystalline reflections or
by a sheen on fractured or trimmed surfaces. The impression received by the unaided eye, however, is that none of the frozen water occupies space in
excess of the original voids in the soil. The opposite is true of frozen soils in the V group.
NOTE 2—When visual methods may be inadequate, a
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