Frost heave damages to artificial slopes along roadsides in a cold district with less snow depth.
— The influence of facing direction of slopes on both frost depth and frost heave damages —

Abstract

For the purpose of preventing frost heave damages to artificial slopes along roadsides in a cold district with less snow depth, we observed the frost depth of cut slopes facing four directions at a site and investigated the frost heave damages to those slopes over four consecutive winter seasons. As a result, we observed that the maximum seasonal frost depth was greatest on the slopes facing in the order of west, north, south and east due to the influence of solar radiation and snow depth. Further, it was found that greater frost heave damages happen on the slopes facing west and north, where not only the carrying soil for vegetation but also the natural ground are frozen. The geological structure and the ground water are considered to induce these increases in the amount of frost heave damages. We propose further investigation to develop construction and maintenance methods more suitable for the prevention of frost heave damages to slopes in that district.