Effect of a Pressure Gradient and Capillary Forces on the Formation of Ice in Soils

Abstract

Ice formation in an unsaturated soil is investigated in the presence of a pressure gradient and capillary forces. It is shown that the problem of determining the amount of ice formed is reduced in the linear approximation to solution of the inhomogeneous diffusion equation for water saturation. A self-similar solution is obtained for the problem in the one-dimensional approximation. It was found that the pressure drop on the cooling wall causes water flow to the crystallization front and leads to an increase in the volume of ice formed.