Frost action considerations in roadway construction.

The environmental factors involving freeze-thaw must be considered for a satisfactory performance of roadways. Accelerated pavement damage results from freezing and thawing effects, combined with heavy truck traffic. Frost-susceptible soils are typically identified through grain size criteria. In the United States, the Corps of Engineers criterion stipulates that there should be no more than 3% of particles finer than 0.02 mm. Decreasing the depth of frost penetration also mitigates the effects of freeze-thaw cycles. This can be accomplished by providing a thermally insulating material at some depth below the road surface. Another effective approach is to enhance roadway drainage in order to reduce the availability of water that may be subjected to freezing. For the covering abstract see ITRD E135448.