Modeling on coupled heat and moisture transfer in freezing soil using mixture theory

A set of perfect constitutive equations including the coupling effects of h eat transfer and moisture migration is constructed for freezing soil, after analyzing its thermomechanic properties, in the framework of continuum mec hanics and mixture theory. By applying the theory, the influence of void ra tio on frost heaving is studied after proposing a criterion for formation o f layered ice; the results obtained coincide with experimental data availab le in the literature. The temperature distribution of freezing soil is anal yzed, the controlling equation deduced appears to be a nonlinear Burgers ty pe equation with varying boundaries, which presents a theoretic foundation for studying the nonlinear effects of heat-moisture migration in the freezi ng process.