ASTM D4083-89(2016)
(Practice)Standard Practice for Description of Frozen Soils (Visual-Manual Procedure)
Standard Practice for Description of Frozen Soils (Visual-Manual Procedure)
SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 This practice is intended primarily for use by geotechnical engineers and technicians and geologists in the field, where the soil profile or samples from it may be observed in a relatively undisturbed (frozen) state.
4.2 It may also be used in the laboratory to describe the condition of relatively undisturbed soil samples that have been maintained in a frozen condition following their acquisition in the field.
4.3 The practice is not intended to be used in describing unfrozen soils or disturbed samples of frozen soil.
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 D2487 and Practice D2488, 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.
General Information
Relations
Standards Content (Sample)
This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
Designation: D4083 − 89 (Reapproved 2016)
Standard Practice for
Description of Frozen Soils (Visual-Manual Procedure)
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D4083; 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 (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the U.S. Department of Defense.
1. Scope D653 Terminology Relating to Soil, Rock, and Contained
Fluids
1.1 This practice presents a procedure for the description of
D1452 Practice for Soil Exploration and Sampling by Auger
frozen soils based on visual examination and simple manual
Borings
tests.
D2487 Practice for Classification of Soils for Engineering
1.2 It is intended to be used in conjunction with Test Method
Purposes (Unified Soil Classification System)
D2487 and Practice D2488, which describe and classify soils,
D2488 Practice for Description and Identification of Soils
but do not cover their frozen state.
(Visual-Manual Procedures)
1.3 This procedure is based on “Guide to Field Description
2.2 Military Standard:
of Permafrost for Engineering Purposes,” National Research
MIL-STD-619 Unified Soil Classification System for Roads,
Council of Canada, 1963, and MIL-STD-619.
Airfields, Embankments and Foundations
1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the
3. Terminology
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
3.1 Definitions:
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
priate safety, health, and environmental practices and deter- 3.1.1 Definitions of the soil components of a frozen soil
mass, that is, boulders, cobbles, gravel, sand, fines (silt and
mine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
1.5 This practice offers a set of instructions for performing clay), and organic soils and peat shall be in accordance with
Terminology D653.
one or more specific operations. This document cannot replace
education or experience and should be used in conjunction 3.1.2 The following terms are used in conjunction with the
description of frozen ground areas (Fig. 1):
with professional judgment. Not all aspects of this practice may
be applicable in all circumstances. This ASTM standard is not 3.1.2.1 annual frost zone (active layer)—the top layer of
intended to represent or replace the standard of care by which ground subject to annual freezing and thawing.
the adequacy of a given professional service must be judged,
3.1.2.2 frost table—the frozen surface, usually irregular, that
nor should this document be applied without consideration of
represents the level, to which thawing of seasonally frozen
a project’s many unique aspects. The word “Standard” in the
ground has penetrated. See Fig. 1.
title of this document means only that the document has been
3.1.2.3 frozen zone—a range of depth within which the soil
approved through the ASTM consensus process.
is frozen. The frozen zone may be bounded both top and
bottom by unfrozen soil, or at the top by the ground surface.
2. Referenced Documents
3.1.2.4 ground ice—a body of more or less clear ice within
2.1 ASTM Standards:
frozen ground.
D420 Guide for Site Characterization for Engineering De-
3.1.2.5 ice wedge—a wedge-shaped mass in permafrost,
sign and Construction Purposes
usually associated with fissures in polygons.
3.1.2.6 icing—a surface ice mass formed by freezing of
successive sheets of water.
This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D18 on Soil and
Rockand is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D18.19 on Frozen Soils and
Rock.
Current edition approved June 1, 2016. Published June 2016. Originally Available from Naval Publications and Forms Center, 5801 Tabor Ave.,
approved in 1982. Last previous edition approved in 2007 as D4083 – 83 (2007). Philadelphia, PA 19120.
DOI: 10.1520/D4083-89R16. For more complete lists of generally accepted terms used in the description of
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or frozen ground see: Hennion, F., “Frost and Permafrost Definitions,” Bulletin 111,
contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM Highway Research Board, Washington, DC 1955; and Brown, R. J. E., and Kupsch,
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on W. D., “Permafrost Terminology,” Technical Memorandum No. 111, National
the ASTM website. Research Council of Canada, 1974.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
D4083 − 89 (2016)
FIG. 1 Illustration of Frozen Soil Terminology
3.1.2.7 permafrost—the thermal condition in soil or rock, 3.1.3.9 ice lenses—lenticular ice formations in soil occur-
wherein the materials have existed at a temperature below 0°C ring essentially parallel to each other, generally normal to the
(32°F) continuously for a number of years. Pore fluids or ice direction of heat loss, and commonly in repeated layers.
may or may not be present.
3.1.3.10 ice segregation—the growth of ice within soil in
3.1.2.8 permafrost table—the surface that represents the excess of the amount that may be produced by the in-place
upper limit of permafrost. conversion of the original void moisture to ice. Ice segregation
occurs most often as distinct lenses, layers, veins, and masses,
3.1.2.9 polygons (polygonal ground)—more or less regular-
commonly, but not always, oriented normal to the direction of
sized surface patterns created by thermal contraction of the
heat flow.
ground. Two types are common: (a) those with depressed
centers and (b) those with raised centers. 3.1.3.11 poorly bonded—a condition in which the soil
particles are weakly held together by the ice so that the frozen
3.1.2.10 residual thaw zone—a layer of unfrozen ground
soil has poor resistance to chipping and breaking.
between the permafrost and the annual frost zone. This layer
does not exist where annual frost extends to permafrost. 3.1.3.12 porous ice—ice that contains numerous voids, usu-
ally interconnected and usually resulting from melting at air
3.1.3 The following terms are used to describe the charac-
bubbles or along crystal interfaces from presence of salt or
teristics of the frozen earth:
other materials in the water, or from the freezing of saturated
3.1.3.1 candled ice—ice that has rotted or otherwise formed
snow. Though porous, the mass retains its structural unity.
into long columnar crystals, very loosely bonded together.
3.1.3.13 thaw stable—the characteristic of frozen soils that,
3.1.3.2 clear ice—ice that is transparent and contains only a
upon thawing, do not show loss of strength in comparison to
moderate number of air bubbles.
normal, long-time thawed values nor produce detrimental
3.1.3.3 cloudy ice—ice that is translucent or relatively
settlement.
opaque due to the content of air or for other reasons, but which
3.1.3.14 thaw unstable—the characteristic of frozen soils
is essentially sound and nonpervious.
that, upon thawing, show significant loss of strength in
3.1.3.4 excess ice—ice in excess of the fraction that would
comparison to normal, long-time thawed values or produce
be retained as water in the soil voids after thawing.
significant settlement, or both, as a direct result of the melting
3.1.3.5 friable—a condition under which the material is
of excess ice in the soil.
easily broken up under light to moderate pressure.
3.1.3.15 well bonded—a condition in which the soil par-
3.1.3.6 granular ice—ice that is composed of coarse, more
ticles are strongly held together by the ice so that the frozen
or less equidimensional, crystals weakly bonded together.
soil possesses relatively high resistance to chipping or break-
3.1.3.7 ice coatings on particles—discernible layers of ice ing.
found on or below the larger soil particles in a frozen soil mass.
4. Significance and Use
They are sometimes associated with hoarfrost crystals, which
have grown into voids produced by the freezing action.
4.1 This practice is intended primarily for use by geotech-
3.1.3.8 ice crystal—a very small individual ice particle nical engineers and technicians and geologists in the field,
visible in the face of a soil mass. Crystals may be present alone where the soil profile or samples from it may be observed in a
or in combination with other ice formations. relatively undisturbed (frozen) state.
D4083 − 89 (2016)
NOTE 1—In addition to the description of the soil profile at a given site,
4.2 It may also be used in the laboratory to describe the
it is normally advantageous to describe the local terrain features. Particu-
condition of relatively undisturbed soil samples that have been
larly useful are descriptions of the type of vegetation cover, depth and type
maintained in a frozen condition following their acquisition in
of snow cover, local relief and drainage conditions, and depth of thaw.
the field.
One or more photos of the area also can be very helpful. The terminology
given in 3.1.2 should be used to describe any special conditions which can
4.3 The practice is not intended to be used in describing
be recognized. To these should be added any available information on the
unfrozen soils or disturbed samples of frozen soil.
depth of thaw as estimated from borings and test pits at the site.
5. Apparatus
7. Part I, Description of the Soil Phase
5.1 Required Apparatus:
7.1 The soil phas
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