Artificial Ground Freezing. Problem Overview

Ground thermostabilization at oil drilling site in permafrost conditions

  

Artificial ground freezing is the most universal and safest way to increase ground strength.

 

Artificial freezing of thawed and frozen soils by seasonal cooling devices has become widely spread in permafrost in the Far North. Thermal stabilization of ground by its passive refrigeration helps solve the problem of permafrost thawing under buildings and structures to prevent settlement and destruction of foundations.

 

Pipeline subsidence caused by permafrost thawing Pipeline bending due to thawing of the frozen ground

Artificial ground freezing technology is also successfully applied in the construction of buildings on weak and unstable water-bearing grounds:

 

  • in the construction of tunnels of various purposes, including escalator tunnels in subways;
  • in the engineering of mines and pits for the construction of dams, power plants, docks and other buildings;
  • in the construction of foundations for industrial buildings and machines on unstable grounds;
  • in the construction of storage facilities and underground tanks with regular maintenance of their walls in a frozen state.

 

Negative impact of permafrost on a building Deformation of the railroad track caused by ground thawing in the permafrost zone

At present, when designing basements and foundations of buildings erected in complex geotechnical conditions using artificial ground freezing technology, it is required to apply computer simulation for predicting temperature fields and mechanical properties of the ground. These predictions should take into account ground freezing and thawing with the computation of convective heat transfer, moisture migration to the freezing front, and also the work of cooling devices.

 

 

FROST 3D UNIVERSAL

Software package for thermotechnical computation of:

 

  • Thermal stabilization of permafrost
  • Artificial ground freezing

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From the outset, the team of specialists at Simmakers Ltd showed a high degree of professionalism by carrying out detailed preliminary research of the problem before concluding the contract; we were very impressed with this approach.

D.G. Dolgikh
Deputy CEO
Fundamentstroyarkos RPA Ltd, Russia

 

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