frost heaving

Frost heaving, also known as frost action, is a geological process where the freezing of moist soil causes an upward displacement of the ground or pavement. This phenomenon is particularly pronounced in areas with rigorous climates and poor drainage, such as polar and subarctic regions, where underlying permafrost prevents water from draining away.12

When water in the soil freezes, its volume expands by about 9 percent. This expansion, combined with differential ice growth, can exert significant pressure, capable of breaking rock and moving soil. Frost heaving can seriously damage structures, including foundations, bridges, and pipelines, by displacing them upward. The process is most effective in fine-grained sediments like silts and silty clays. Soil weakened by frost action is also susceptible to solifluction, a downslope flow of water-saturated soil.3425