Volumetric strain and strength behavior of frozen soils under confinement

Triaxial compression tests of frozen sand and silty clay were conducted under confining pressures varying between 0.0 and 18.0 MPa, at temperatures of − 4 and − 6 °C, and a strain-rate of 1.67 × 10− 4 s− 1. The results show that the volume of the specimen nonlinearly changes with axial deformation, and cross-section (modified by the volumetric value) of specimen has large influence on stress–strain curve pattern and compressive strength.