Soil freezing (for ground improvement)
Sotraisol Fondations
The congelation of the grounds was developed at the beginning of the XXème century
for the crossing of the aquiferous zones in the mine shafts. It was applied more recently to public works.
The transformation in a given zone of l’ water in ice causes to create or d’ to increase
the cohesion of the frozen grounds and, simultaneously, to waterproof them.
Secondarily, congelation increases the volume of ground; if the water content of the ground is of 40%,
density of the ice being of approximately 0.9, l’ increase in resulting volume is of 4%.
Congelation is carried out most of the time with l’ nitrogenize liquid (T= -190 °C).
One ensures his circulation in the ground and one leaves l’ nitrogenize gas s’ to escape freely in l’ atmosphere.
References:
- SAGEP: building site LIRA
