Shear and volumetric creep deformation characteristics and constitutive model of frozen clay under temperature effect
CHEN Jianbing1, 2, WANG Pan1, 2, 3*, JIN Long1, 2, DONG Yuanhong1, 2, ZHANG Qi1, 2, WANG Xiaochan4, WANG Zhixuan3
(1. National Key Laboratory of Green and Long-Life Road Engineering in Extreme Environment , Xi?an, Shaanxi 710075, China;
2. CCCC First Highway Consultants Co., Ltd., Xi?an, Shaanxi 710065, China; 3. School of Architecture and Civil Engineering,
Xi?an University of Science and Technology, Xi?an, Shaanxi 710075, China; 4. School of Geological
Engineering and Geomatics, Chang?an University, Xi?an, Shaanxi 710054, China)
Abstract：Under the dual influences of global warming and engineering disturbances, creep settlement in cold regions has become increasingly prominent. Currently, the research on the shear and volumetric deformation characteristics of frozen soil during the creep process remains insufficient, particularly concerning the constitutive models that describe the underlying mechanisms. Therefore, through experimental analysis, mechanism exploration, and theoretical modeling, triaxial creep tests were conducted on frozen clay under varying high, low, and highly negative temperature conditions. The shear and volumetric deformation characteristics during the creep process at negative temperatures and different shear stress levels were analyzed in detail, leading to the derivation of a creep constitutive model that quantitatively describes the physical mechanisms of ice-water phase transition and local bonding damage. The main research findings are as follows: (1) under conditions of negative temperature and stress level, as well as during temperature rise, the shear creep characteristics of frozen soil exhibit both attenuating and non-attenuating behaviors, with shear strain and shear stress showing a linear correlation. The volumetric deformation characteristics during the creep process reveal that high negative temperatures are associated with shear shrinkage, while low negative temperatures lead to shear expansion. Additionally, volumetric deformation initially increases and then decreases with rising average stress. Moreover, an increase in negative temperature promotes the development of creep deformation, and at high stress levels, the behavior can transition from attenuating to non-attenuating, ultimately leading to creep deformation failure. (2) Negative temperature and stress levels influence the internal ice-water phase transition and the evolution of local cementation damage, affecting changes in material volume fraction, creep mechanical properties, and interaction modes in frozen soil, thus controlling the overall trend of macro creep development. (3) A creep constitutive relationship that incorporates the ice-water phase transition (pressure melting equation) and the local shear and volumetric cementation failure mechanisms has been established, with its validity and applicability confirmed through predictions based on test data. The results of this study provide a theoretical foundation for the accurate prediction of long-term creep settlement and the evaluation of long-term service performance of roads in cold regions in the context of climate warming.
陈建兵1，2，王 番1，2，3*，金 龙1，2，董元宏1，2，张 琪1，2，王小婵4，王智璇3. 温度效应下冻结黏土的剪切/体积蠕变变形特性与本构关系[J]. 岩石力学与工程学报, 2026, 45(5): 1538-1553.
CHEN Jianbing1, 2, WANG Pan1, 2, 3*, JIN Long1, 2, DONG Yuanhong1, 2, ZHANG Qi1, 2, WANG Xiaochan4, WANG Zhixuan3. Shear and volumetric creep deformation characteristics and constitutive model of frozen clay under temperature effect. , 2026, 45(5): 1538-1553.
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2026, Vol. 45 
