Question

Ground Freezing for Stabilization.

What is ground freezing and when is it used?

Answer 1

Ground Freezing technique is being used as a soil stabilizing process. In this process the soil is to be freezed, i.e., bringing the temperature of the soil well below 273 K in order to make it rock hard (having similar properties to that of concrete), various types of refrigerants are being used to keep the ground frozen such as liquid nitrogen, salt brine, etc.

The soil is being freezed so that, it will not collapse when the soil adjacent to it is being excavated or it will not get contaminated when the adjacent soil gets contaminated, either with radioactive material waste or with excessive harmful elements. This technique is being used to make wide underground tunnels, helps in laying of underground pipelines, helps to avoid the contamination of soil from the adjacent soil, etc.