Prediction of Pavement Response during Freezing and Thawing Using Finite Element Approach

Although elastic multilayer techniques for pavement analysis have become increasingly popular through advances in software and personal computers, the difficulties of such methods in representing dynamic loading, pavement geometry and nonlinear material response are widely recognized as significant. Particularly in cold regions, where pavement materials are subject to seasonal freezing and thawing, nonlinear material behavior cannot be accurately modeled with these methods. However, many of these difficulties can be overcome by using the finite element method. In this study, an initial attempt to implement a commercially available finite element code in an analysis procedure for pavements in seasonal frost areas is presented. The results, compared with data from an extensively instrumented test road, show that surface deflections and the relative change in pavement stiffness, indicated by the subgrade strength index, are predicted very accurately. Although a time lag between maximum measured and predicted surface deflection is observed during thawing, the procedure is found to be promising and further research is warranted.     

Freeze-Thaw Treatment of Membrane Concentrates Derived from Kraft Pulp Mill Operations

Freeze thaw was studied as a waste treatment method for concentration and volume reduction of contaminated waste concentrates that are derived from the use of membrane technology in the treatment of high strength Kraft pulp mill effluents. Unidirectional freezing experiments were conducted to simulate seminatural freezing, in which the independent variables—freezing rate, time frozen, storage temperature, concentration, liquid depth, thawing rate and method of thawing—were examined for their relative importance. Method of thawing followed by freezing rate, rate of thawing, storage temperature, and time frozen were identified as the most important independent variables that contribute significantly to treatment performance. Under ideal conditions, freeze thaw was shown to effectively concentrate and separate the constituent matter of alkaline, extraction-stage membrane concentrate to achieve color removals as high as 73% in the top 70% liquid fraction. The results suggest a new field of use for freeze thaw as a waste treatment process for the management of high strength liquid wastes amenable to mechanical coagulation by freezing.     

Simulating the Effect of Liquid CO2 on Cryptosporidium parvum Oocysts in Aquifer Material

The effects of liquid CO2 injection on the viability of Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts were evaluated. A laboratory study was designed to test the effects of saturated CO2, freeze–thaw cycles and different freezing protocols on C. parvum oocysts in aquifer material. Oocysts were exposed to a saturated solution of CO2 at room temperature for 1-, 4-, 8-, and 12-h intervals and their viability was compared with controls. One- and three-cycle freeze–thaw experiments on oocyst survival were conducted. Inactivation of oocysts was assessed for: (1) rapid freezing and rapid thawing and (2) gradual freezing and rapid thawing. Exposure to 1 atm of CO2 in water at room temperature had a negligible effect on oocyst viability. Average oocyst viability after the one- and three-cycle freeze–thaw experiments was 24.7 and 2.7%, repsectively. The average oocyst viability associated with the rapid freeze–thaw and gradual freeze–thaw experiments was 11.3 and 26.2%, respectively. Freezing associated with injection of liquid CO2 into aquifers would be the factor inactivating oocysts; to cause a 3-log decrease in oocyst viability multiple injections may be required.     

Three-Dimensional Nonlinear Analysis for the Cooling Characteristics of Crushed-Rock Interlayer Embankment with Ventilated Duct along the Qinghai-Tibet Expressway in Permafrost Regions

The crushed-rock embankment and duct-ventilated embankment have been used as effective cooling measures to protect permafrost underlying the Qinghai-Tibet Railway from thawing in China. These two cooling techniques are not directly applied to the Qinghai-Tibet Expressway, however, due to the large width and higher temperature of pavement surface. Therefore, considering the heat transfer characteristics of crushed-rock interlayer embankments and duct-ventilated embankments, we designed the crushed-rock interlayer embankment with ventilated duct. For cold regions engineering projects, the thermal regime is the most important factor that determines the stability of construction. To investigate the thermal stability of this new type of embankment, a three-dimensional numerical model was developed based on heat and mass transfer theory. The model includes coupled heat transfer between the airflow and the duct wall, air convective heat transfer within the crushed-rock interlayer, and heat conduction with phase change in the soil layer. The computational results indicated that the numerical model can reasonably solve the coupled heat and mass transfer for the crushed-rock interlayer embankment with ventilated duct. Based on an assumption that the mean annual air temperature will increase by 2.6°C in the next 50years, it was determined that in areas where the mean annual air temperature is currently ?4.0°C, the crushed-rock interlayer embankment with ventilated duct can be an effective measure to decrease the underlying ground temperature and ensure the stability of the Qinghai-Tibet Expressway in permafrost regions.     

The Impact of Soil Freezing/Thawing Processes on Water and Energy Balances

A frozen soil parameterization coupling of thermal and hydrological processes is used to investigate how frozen soil processes affect water and energy balances in seasonal frozen soil. Simulation results of soil liquid water content and temperature using soil model with and without the inclusion of freezing and thawing processes are evaluated against observations at the Rosemount field station. By comparing the simulated water and heat fluxes of the two cases, the role of phase change processes in the water and energy balances is analyzed. Soil freezing induces upward water flow towards the freezing front and increases soil water content in the upper soil layer. In particular. soil ice obviously prevents and delays the infiltration during rain at Rosemount. In addition, soil freezing/thawing processes alter the partitioning of surface energy fluxes and lead the soil to release more sensible heat into the atmosphere during freezing periods.     

Extreme-Value Climatology of Maximum Soil Freezing Depths in Contiguous United States

Extreme-value statistics for the maximum depth of soil freezing are developed based on a physical soil freezing model and a semiphysical soil water budgeting scheme. The model uses only daily air temperature, snow depth, and precipitation data. These data are available from a relatively dense network of observing stations, permitting the development of a national climatology of extreme soil freezing levels. A set of adjustment factors is also presented that allows conversion between the mapped base-soil freezing depths and those associated with other soil conditions. Surface cover characteristics of bare soil with and without ambient snow cover and turf are analyzed. The deepest soil freezing levels within the United States are found across the Dakotas, where persistent subfreezing winter temperatures, and relatively little soil moisture and snow cover combine to maximize soil freezing. Ample winter snow cover mitigates soil freezing extremes in the Great Lakes, northern New England, and western mountains. Soil freezing is unlikely south of northern Florida and the immediate Gulf Coast, along the California coast, and in southern Arizona.     

Characterization of Rutting (Permanent Strain) Development of A-2-4 and A-4 Subgrade Soils under the HVS Loading

As part of a national pool funded study 208 on pavement subgrade performance, 12 full-scale test sections (four soil types and three moisture contents) were constructed and tested under the heavy vehicle simulator (HVS) loading. This paper presents the HVS results on two of the four soils tested: AASHTO Class A-2-4 and A-4 soils, respectively. From the results, it was found that the pavement subgrade performance is a function of soil type, moisture content, and applied stress condition. Additionally, this paper also evaluated the current mechanistic-empirical pavement design guide (MEPDG) subgrade rutting (permanent strain) model through comparing with the actual measurements under the HVS loading. It was found that the MEPDG subgrade permanent strain model needs further improvement, and that a single performance model may not be universally applicable to different subgrade soil types. Consequently, a new permanent strain model for each soil type was developed in this paper, based on the HVS results, and that yielded better predictions. With further validation and field calibration, the proposed models offer promising potential to accurately predict rutting behavior of these two soils.     

PCC Airfield Pavement Response during Thaw-Weakening Periods

A field study was performed at two regional airports in Wisconsin during spring thaw to determine its effects on portland cement concrete (PCC) airport pavements. This study was part of a research program to model the performance of airfield pavements for the Federal Aviation Administration. Subsurface temperature and falling weight deflection measurements of the pavement structures were taken at both airports and used to calculate the frost penetration depths, the changes in bearing capacity, and the joint and load transfer efficiencies. This paper summarizes the findings of this study and includes several relationships between various engineering properties of the subsurface layers below the PCC layer, along with a procedure for evaluating pavement performance using falling weight deflection data for PCC pavements during spring thaw.     

Modeling of Moisture Loss in Cementitiously Stabilized Pavement Materials

The paper presents a theoretical and experimental approach for the modeling of moisture loss during the drying of cementitiously stabilized pavement materials containing varying contents of fine-grained soil. The process of moisture loss was characterized by the isotropic nonlinear diffusion theory. Laboratory tests were undertaken using general purpose Portland cement and two binders comprising industrial waste products. Measurement of material characteristics included the coefficient of moisture diffusivity and the humidity isotherm. Locally available basaltic crushed rocks and clay were respectively used as the host pavement material and fine-grained soil. Independent laboratory tests were undertaken to validate the adopted theoretical approach, which showed close agreement between the experimental and predicted results. The laboratory results indicated that moisture loss decreased with the inclusion of clay soil within the mix. As the drying progressed, the rate of moisture loss became slower, which can be explained by the reduction in the coefficient of moisture diffusivity with the decrease of moisture content.     

Thermal Interaction between Permafrost and the Qinghai-Tibet Railway

Measures were taken to protect the thermal regime of the roadbed embankment after construction and to lower permafrost temperatures in the rich-ice and warm permafrost regions along the Qinghai-Xizang Railway. However, these measures were taken only for some sections of the railway, leaving many sections unprotected. This article addresses those areas where no measures were taken and presents analysis of the variation of soil temperatures under the embankment in seasonal frozen soil areas, degrading permafrost areas, and warm and cold permafrost areas. The results show that soil temperatures, maximum seasonal freezing depth, and the permafrost table under the embankment differ according to the different frozen soil areas after embankment construction. In seasonal frozen soil areas and degraded permafrost areas, the seasonal frost layer remained frozen the next year under the shaded shoulder of the embankment. In degrading permafrost areas, a thaw layer between the permafrost table and the bottom of the seasonal frost formed under the embankment. In warm permafrost areas, the permafrost table under the embankment was unstable and soil temperatures near the permafrost table showed an obvious increasing trend. In cold permafrost areas, the permafrost table under the embankment was clearly raised and temperature lowered in the soil near the permafrost table, which is advantageous to permafrost thermal stability under the embankment. In particular, the differ-ence in solar radiation from the slope exposed to the sun to the shady slope of the embankment is responsible for the difference in the soil thermal regime and the permafrost table, which potentially can affect roadbed stability.     

Conditioning of Wastewater Sludge from Science-Based Industrial Park Using Freezing and Thawing

The Hsinchu Science-based Industrial Park (HSIP) is the main manufacturing base of “high-tech” commodities of Taiwan. The treatment of wastewater of HSIP produces hard-to-dewater sludge, at a rate of 80 Mg/day, which is resistant to chemical conditioning, whose disposal is costly. The use of chemical flocculation and physical conditioning, including heating and freezing and thawing, on the dewaterability of HSIP sludge was examined in this Note. The dewaterability of the original sludge was poor, and neither chemical flocculation nor thermal heating enhanced its dewatering. However, the freezing and thawing could release up to 83% of moisture from the sludge body; in line with this occurrence, the settleability and filterability of the sludge were considerably enhanced. The ice front developed during freezing, which could destroy the floc network, release the interstitial water, and might correspond to the successful conditioning using freezing and thawing.     

Experimental Study on Moisture Migration in Unsaturated Loess under Effect of Temperature

In this paper, moisture migration in loess considering temperature effect is studied by tests on unsaturated loess samples with different densities and initial moisture contents. Test results reveal that obvious changes in moisture content distribution in a loess sample can be observed after temperature difference is exerted on the two ends of the sample. Moisture content at the cold end increases and that at the hot end decreases. Under the effect of temperature difference, moisture content difference at the two ends of a soil sample is related to the initial moisture content, soil density, and magnitude of the temperature difference. Generally speaking, larger temperature differences and smaller soil densities result in more obvious moisture migration and larger moisture content differences at the two ends of the soil sample. When the initial moisture content is large, the moisture content difference caused by a temperature difference is small; when the initial moisture content is small, the moisture content difference caused by a temperature difference is also small; when the initial moisture content is moderate, the moisture content difference caused by a temperature difference is large. After the analysis of test results, taking the soil density and moisture content into account, a formula is obtained to determine the moisture content gradient resulting from the temperature gradient. Reliability of the formula is verified by comparing the measured and calculated data. Because of the reverse migration of liquid water and water vapor at the end of the experiment, it is difficult to determine the thermal potential and matrix potential. Based on the experimental data, this paper probes into the water potential equation that can be used for stability analysis. The equation considers the comprehensive impact of soil density, temperature gradient, moisture content, and moisture content gradient on water potential. It only applies to analyze stable distributions of temperature and does not apply to unstable temperature distributions.     

The effect of temperature at which slow cooling is terminated and of thawing rate on the survival of one-cell mouse embryos frozen in dimethyl sulfoxide or 1,2-propanediol solutions

We investigated the slow freezing of one-cell mouse embryos with either dimethyl sulfoxide (Me2SO) or 1,2-propanediol (PROH) as the cryoprotectant. One-cell embryos, collected from superovulated C57BL/6J x CBA/Ca females were exposed to 1.5 M solutions of either Me2SO or PROH. The embryos were cooled at 0.3 degrees C/min to temperatures between -10 degrees and -80 degrees C before being plunged into LN2 and then warmed at either 20 degrees C/min or 450 degrees C/min. Survival was expressed as the percentage of hatching or hatched blastocysts per frozen-thawed embryo. When the slow cooling was in 1.5 M PROH, the temperature at which survival rates after slow thawing began to increase was -35 degrees C (52.6 +/- 5.2% survival). For slow cooling in 1.5 M Me2SO this temperature was -50 degrees C (45.0 +/- 2.9% survival). The addition of sucrose to the 1.5 M PROH solution raised the temperature at which survival rates after slow thawing began to increase to -30 degrees C (54.8 +/- 3.7% survival). If slow cooling was stopped at high subzero temperatures, embryos survived better after rapid thawing than slow thawing. If slow cooling was stopped at low subzero temperatures, the survival rate was not dependent on the thawing rate if freezing was done in 1.5 M PROH. When freezing was in Me2SO solutions and to subzero temperatures of -60 degrees and -80 degrees C, slow thawing gave better survival than rapid thawing. The addition of sucrose to the Me2SO freezing solution restored the survival rates at -60 degrees and -80 degrees C. These results indicate that high rates of survival may be obtained from one-cell mouse embryos by a rapid or a slow thawing procedure, as has been found for other developmental stages. The results also indicate that PROH provides superior protection compared to Me2SO against freezing-thawing damage and that the addition of sucrose to the freezing solutions prior to freezing improves the overall survival rates. Embryos that survived freezing and developed in culture implanted and formed normal fetuses at rates similar to those of nonfrozen control embryos (60% vs 68% and 53% vs 58%, respectively.     

Optimal utilization of cryopreserved human semen for assisted reproduction: recovery and maintenance of sperm motility and viability

PURPOSE: Our purpose was to evaluate sperm motility and viability and the maintenance of these parameters in already cryopreserved semen samples following repeated freezing/thawing cycles. METHODS: Human spermatozoa were subjected to five cycles of cryopreservation/thawing. Recovery of sperm motility and viability and the proportion of viable nonmotile sperm were determined up to 6 hr after thaw. RESULTS: Sperm motilities (prefreeze motility, 70.1%; n = 9 samples) after each of five freeze/thaw cycles were 24.4, 8.0, 3.5, 1.5 and 1.8%. The recovery of sperm viability was higher than that of motility after each cycle: 39.1, 25.3, 22.6, 17.8, and 16.5%. Recoveries of motility and viability were improved if the thawed samples were left in the original cryopreservation medium prior to refreezing vs. if a washing/ resuspension step was included. The recovery of sperm motility in the first thawing cycle was indicative of the expected motile sperm recovery in the second thawing cycle. CONCLUSIONS: Cryopreserved semen that is intended to be reused in future assisted reproduction treatments should be thawed only once and aliquoted in the original freezing medium before refreezing. The recovery of sperm motility and viability in the second thawing cycle, thus the applicability of the sample in conventional in vitro fertilization or intracytoplasmic sperm injection may be anticipated in > 90% of the samples. In view of intracytoplasmic sperm injection it is important that sperm viability is maintained better than motility; after the first, second, and third thawing cycles the ratios of motile:nonmotile viable sperm were 1:1, 1:4, and 1:7, respectively.     

低温条件下边坡岩石动态力学特性实验研究

我国多年冻结区和季节性冻结区面积广泛,在这些地区进行工程建设和矿产资源开采必须考虑特殊的地质和气候条件,其中寒区边坡的稳定性问题值得研究.以位于西藏自治区的玉龙铜矿为例,矿区平均海拔约4000 m,最冷月日平均最低气温约-20℃,冻结期长,边坡稳定性受冻融作用显著,冻结岩层给爆破开挖带来诸多困难,制约了矿山生产效率.为研究低温条件下边坡岩石的动态力学特性,从西藏玉龙铜矿边坡钻取了大理岩试样,借助含低温控制系统的分离式霍普金森压杆(SHPB)实验系统,对常温干燥、常温饱水和低温冻结三种状态的岩样进行了动态拉压力学实验,以探究温度、含水量对岩石动态力学性质的影响.试验结果表明:(1)受低温水冰相变和岩石基质冷缩的共同影响,-20℃冻结岩样的平均单轴动态压缩、拉伸强度较常温下有所增大.其中,岩石基质的冷缩现象是造成冻结岩石强度显著提高的主要原因.四种应变率下,压缩应力分别增大1.30、1.62、1.41、1.43倍,拉伸应力分别增大1.36、1.28、1.22和1.29倍;(2)受孔隙水软化影响,饱水岩样动态强度小于干燥岩样,因此同一应变率下的实验数据满足规律,即冻结岩样强度最高,干燥次之,...     

Effect of freezing method, thawing temperature and post-thaw dilution/washing on motility (CASA) and morphology characteristics of high-quality human sperm

Sixteen semen samples, 12 donor and four patient samples of high initial quality, were processed to compare the effect of two freezing methods, two thawing temperatures and the effect of dilution and washing on sperm motility and morphology characteristics. Sperm samples were divided in two equal parts and frozen either by fast vapour freezing or by slow computer-controlled freezing. For each freezing method, half of the straws were thawed at room temperature (22 degrees C), the other half were thawed at 37 degrees C. From each freeze-thawing treatment, one straw was evaluated immediately post-thawing; another straw was washed to remove the cryoprotectant solution. In this way, each semen sample was subjected to eight freeze-thawing treatments. No effect of the freezing method and thawing temperature was observed on motility characteristics evaluated by computer-assisted semen analysis, nor on light-microscopical morphology parameters. Post-thaw dilution and washing, however, exerted a deleterious effect on sperm motility, by reducing percentage motility by 50% compared to unwashed thawed specimens. Linearity and percentage of morphologically normal spermatozoa were obviously impaired, while percentage of abnormal tails and beat cross frequency increased significantly. In general, freeze-thawing was most successful when rapid vapour freezing was followed by 37 degrees C thawing, and when slower computer-controlled freezing was combined with 22 degrees C thawing, causing significant interactions between the freezing method and the thawing temperature. For semen samples of high initial quality, vapour and computer-controlled freezing were equally effective in terms of recovery of morphologically normal, motile spermatozoa.     

Freezing Temperatures of Freely Falling Industrial Wastewater Droplets

Spray freezing technology has been used in ice building construction in cold regions and artificial snow making. The spray freezing process involves heat and mass transfer and ice nucleation. The freezing temperature of the sprayed water is influenced by many factors, such as droplet size (volume), ambient air temperature, and impurity content of the water. An experimental study was carried out to investigate the influence of the droplet size (volume) and the ambient air temperature on the ice nucleation temperature of the freely suspended droplets of different qualities—piggery wastewater, pulp mill effluent, and oil sands tailings pond water. The time required to initiate freezing in the freely suspended wastewater droplets was measured under various experimental conditions using video-image technology. The ice nucleation temperature of the droplets were predicted based on the required freezing time and the rate of heat and mass transfer.     

Performance Study of SPAW Model with Temperature-Derived ET0 as Input in Place of Pan Evaporation under Wheat Crop in a Semiarid Subtropical Climate

In this study, we have attempted to enhance the utility of soil–plant–atmosphere–water (SPAW) model that has been used successfully by various workers in different countries for soil moisture prediction under different cropping conditions. One of the major climatic inputs for SPAW model is pan evaporation, which in many places is not readily available. To address the above, and to get the benefit of this model in regions characterized by limited weather data availability, this study was undertaken using computed ET0 from air temperature by the 1985 Hargreaves equation, as one of the inputs in place of pan evaporation. For the purpose, actual air temperature collected from experimental farm area, as well as forecast air temperature collected from National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting, Government of India, were used. First, the SPAW model was calibrated and its performance was evaluated under wheat, taking layerwise and profile soil moisture as the variables for comparison between the predicted and observed values. The results showed that the root-mean-square error (RMSE) varied from 0.30?to?0.58?cm for measured values ranging between 2.24 and 4.25?cm. The index of agreement (d) varied from 0.81 to 0.92 and coefficient of determination (r2) from 0.46 to 0.73 for 0–15, 15–30, 30–45, and 45–60?cm soil depths. For the whole 60?cm profile, the RMSE was 1.07?cm with d and r2 values of 0.94 and 0.85 respectively. The RMSE and d varied from 0.36?to?0.63?cm and 0.77 to 0.89 respectively when ET0 computed from actual air temperature was used in place of pan evaporation, where as when ET0 computed from forecast air temperature data was used, the corresponding values were 0.35–0.64?cm and 0.68–0.85 respectively for the four soil layers. There was a tendency of the models to underestimate when the computed ET0 was used as input in place of pan evaporation. In general, performance of the models were better at lower depths.     

Latent endothelial cell damage after experimental corneal cryopreservation

Ninety porcine corneas were evaluated by vital staining with alizarin red S and trypan blue in a three-step experiment. Central cell densities were counted (a) on freshly dissected corneas (n = 30), (b) on cryopreserved corneas directly after thawing (n = 30), and (c) after a postthawing organ culture interval of 24 h (n = 30). Two freezing methods were used: (a) minimum essential medium--containing 20% fetal calf serum and (b) the same but containing additionally 2% chondroitin sulfate. Directly after thawing neither method showed significant cell loss (3.9% and 3%) compared to fresh tissue. After postthawing organ culture, however, tissue that had been frozen without chondroitin sulfate displayed a cell loss of 73.5% compared to corneas of the same freezing protocol directly after thawing. Corneas in chondroitin sulfate containing medium showed a cell loss of only 33.2%. We conclude that reliable morphologic evaluation should not be obtained from cryopreserved corneas examined directly after thawing.     

Effect of Severe Environmental Exposures on CFRP Wrapped Concrete Columns

Deterioration of concrete structures caused by corrosion of reinforcing steel, aging, and weathering is a major problem in harsh environments such as coastal areas and cold regions. In addition, a hot environment, such as in the Arabian Gulf, is recognized as one of the most severe and aggressive environments that affects concrete durability. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of strengthening plain concrete cylinders, subjected to extreme temperature variations, by wrapping with two layers of unidirectional carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) sheets. Thirty-six plain concrete cylinders (150×300?mm) were tested. Nine specimens served as unstrengthened controls and the remaining cylinders were strengthened with two layers of CFRP sheets. Cylinders were subjected to high temperatures (45°C), to heating and cooling cycles (23 to 45°C), and to prolonged heat exposure (45°C). Some of the cylinders that were subjected to heating and cooling, were later subjected to freezing and thawing cycles, while others were submerged in fresh water or salt water. The specimens were loaded to failure under uniaxial compressive load and the axial and lateral deformations were monitored. High temperature exposure was not found to decrease the strength of the wrapped concrete cylinders.