Water Migration and Temperature Field Evolution under Horizontal Freezing Condition

The application of the hydrothermal relationship under vertical freezing to horizontal freezing is limited, necessitating further study of soil water migration and temperature field law under horizontal freezing conditions. A self-designed transverse freezing equipment was utilized to carry out lateral soil freezing experiments by vertically arranging the freezing plate. The study focused on examining the distribution and evolution of temperature and water fields in the soil during horizontal freezing, as well as determining the migration of freezing fronts. Additionally, the effect of temperature gradient on water migration rate was investigated under an open system. Results show that under the horizontal freezing condition, water on the unfrozen soil side migrates to the freezing front due to the soil water potential gradient induced by the temperature gradient. Moreover, a larger temperature gradient leads to a faster rate of freezing front advancement. The rate of water migration in the soil during freezing is related to the rate of change of the temperature gradient, with a larger rate of change resulting in a higher water migration rate. However, the long water migration path will lead to a decrease of water in the unfrozen area, and the water replenishment rate lags behind the water migration rate. The conclusions provide the theoretical basic for the practical engineering of horizontal freezing. © 2023 School of Science, IHU. All rights reserved.