The objective of this research was to investigate emulsion-treated base (ETB) frost susceptibility in terms of both freeze-thaw cycling and frost heave. The research performed in this study involved laboratory testing of ETB materials sampled from both the Redwood Road and 7800 South reconstruction projects in northern Utah. The effects of freeze-thaw cycling were evaluated by comparing the stiffness and strength of tested specimens to the same properties of control specimens not subjected to freeze-thaw cycling. Frost heave testing enabled evaluation of the effects of emulsion content and degree of curing on the volumetric stability of ETB materials during sustained freezing. Since permeability affects the frost susceptibility of a material, samples were also prepared to specifically evaluate the effect of curing condition on the permeability of the two base materials when treated with emulsion. The results of freeze-thaw testing showed that both the Redwood Road and 7800 South specimens experienced decreases in modulus as a result of freeze-thaw damage. The results also showed that the Redwood Road specimens experienced substantial decreases in strength as a result of freeze-thaw damage. The specimens from 7800 South did not exhibit such strength loss; since those specimens initially had much lower modulus and unconfined compressive strength values than the Redwood Road specimens, they were less susceptible to stiffness and strength loss during the freeze-thaw test. Results for the frost heave tests showed that the untreated base materials were not susceptible to frost heave and that the addition of emulsion, with or without curing, did not change the frost heave behavior in a practically important way. While susceptibility to frost heave is not expected to be a problem with these base materials, the laboratory results revealed a significant increase in the permeability of the ETB specimens after curing, which could facilitate greater freeze-thaw damage. In consideration of these research results, engineers should ensure proper material sampling and laboratory testing to assess the efficacy of emulsion treatment for a given project. ETB to be constructed in cold regions should be subjected to freeze-thaw testing during the design phase, and designers should be aware that curing of the ETB may dramatically increase permeability and therefore increase frost susceptibility.

The objective of this research was to investigate the effects of thermal gradient and fines content and the interaction between these two factors on the frost heave characteristics of a typical Alaska base material. The laboratory frost heave testing involved one type of aggregate base material, three thermal gradients, and three fines contents in a full-factorial experimental design with two replicates. The aggregate was classified in the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials soil classification system as A-1-a; the thermal gradients were 0.15, 0.30, and 0.45 ºC/cm; and the fines contents were 6, 8, and 10 percent. After frost heave testing, a stepwise regression analysis was performed to identify significant independent variables for each of nine separate dependent variables, including frost heave, heave-uptake ratio, steady-state frost heave rate, gravimetric water ingress, and gravimetric water content in each of the five individual lifts tested following frost heave testing. Soil suction, specific gravity, salinity, and hydraulic conductivity testing were also performed on samples prepared at each of the three fines contents to support numerical modeling of the frost heave test results using the computer program ICE-1. The results of the stepwise regression analysis indicate that thermal gradient is a significant predictor of six of the nine dependent variables and that the square of thermal gradient is a significant predictor of five of these six dependent variables. As the thermal gradient increased, the samples experienced decreasing amounts of water ingress and frost heave. However, the data show that neither fines content nor the square of fines content is a significant predictor of any of the dependent variables. Thus, although previous research has shown that higher fines contents are generally associated with greater susceptibility to frost heave, this effect is not manifest in the comparatively small increases in fines contents evaluated in this research. The interaction between thermal gradient and fines content is a significant predictor of only one independent variable. Differences between the modeled and measured frost heave values ranged from 0.01 to 0.92 cm, with the larger differences typically associated with the lowest thermal gradient and the lowest fines content.

This diploma thesis deals with the issue of the effect of freezing on soils in subgrades of road structures. The theoretical part compares methods of determining the frost susceptibility of soils used in selected countries of the European Union and the Czech Republic. It also explains the principle of frost heave in subgrade layers. The aim of the practical part is to compare the direct and indirect method of determining frost susceptibility in the Czech Republic and the California bearing ration CBR or the immediate bearing ratio IBI.

Destruction of road constructions due to the frost is in locations with temperatures under the zero a problem which leads to permanent deformation. The theoretical part of this thesis deals with the freezing process of the pavement and its subgrade. It presents methods for determining the rate of frost susceptibility in both the Czech Republic and abroad. Describes the materials used in the subgrade of roads and their suitability in terms of frost susceptibility. The thesis closely examines the fly-ashes, their properties and possibilities of using in the construction industry. The practical part of the thesis focuses on the performance of direct laboratory frost heave tests, immediate bearing index tests, California bearing ratio tests and cyclic load triaxial tests to determine the modulus of elasticity. Tests are carried out on the soil, the soil mixtures with certain percentages of fly ash from different sources at the same soil treated with lime. Then the results are compared and dependence between the measured characteristics of materials is created.

The thesis is focused on the analysis of the theoretical part of the unbound mixtures, their implementation and compliance. Further deals with determining the extent frost susceptibility direct and indirect method in the Czech Republic and the Member States of the European Union. The practical part is focused on the performance of tests on selected samples of unbound mixtures for which was gradually increased the content of fine particles and that direct and indirect method of determining the rate of frost susceptibility and also the evaluation of direct methods of particular customized way, which does not impose the appropriate standard. At the conclusion of the work is carried out an evaluation of the samples and comparison of the different methods with each other.

In the theoretical part of the thesis, different methods of testing frost susceptibility in the Czech Republic and other countries of the European Union are compared. The practical part of the thesis deals with laboratory testing of frost susceptibility of concrete and mixed recycled materials using the direct method of frost heave tests as well as determining the California Bearing Ratio (CBR) and design module of elasticity using the cyclic triaxial test. Suitability of materials for construction of road infrastructure is then assessed on the basis of the results of these tests.

This diploma thesis is focused on the properties of unsuitable and conditionally unsuitable fine-grained soils after a one-stage or two-stage treatment by using a binder. The theoretical part occupies with problematical properties of the fine grained soils in a subgrade and a possible technology of the change of these properties. The laboratory testing of treated soils is described and a practical technology of the one stage and two-stage stabilization. In the practical part the fine grained soils are treated by one-stage or two-stage stabilization. For the one stage stabilization the cement is used, for the two-stage stabilization the properties of the soil are improved by lime and then the soil is stabilized by cement. The treated soils are laboratory tested, the initial bearing index IBI, California bearing ratio CBR, unconfined compressive strength and frost susceptibility is tested. Based on the results of the laboratory tests the benefit of the two-stage stabilization is measured.

This diploma thesis deals with the issue of the determination of the frost susceptibility of soils in the subgrades of road structures. The theoretical part compares the ways of testing the frost susceptibility in the Czech Republic and other selected countries of the European Union. Furthermore, it also deals with the development of the frost susceptibility index in the Czech Republic. The empirical part focuses on the laboratory testing of the frost susceptibility of the given sample of soil by the direct frost heave method. Moreover, it also deals with the simulation of penetration of frost by the subgrade and the possibility of shortening the length of the freezing during the direct testing the frost susceptibility.