Freeze-thaw behavior of geocell-reinforced bases considering different fines contents

Freeze-thaw (F-T) cycles are a major cause of pavement distress in seasonal frost regions, and the presence of fines in bases can accelerate the pavement degradation induced by cyclic freeze and thaw. Among countermeasures used to mitigate the F-T induced damages in pavements, geocell-reinforced bases can be an effective solution in mitigating F-T damage to cold region roads. However, there is almost no research dedicated to understanding the potential benefit of geocells and the underlying mechanisms in this regard. This study employed a custom-made model test device to investigate the F-T performance of geocell-reinforced sands considering different fines contents. The experimental results showed that the increase in fines content substantially increased the peak heave and thaw settlement and decreased the stiffness and ultimate bearing pressure. The application of geocells reduced the peak heave and thaw settlement by 11–18% and 22–35%, respectively, but this benefit was negligible at high kaolin content (12%). The use of geocells increased the stiffness and ultimate bearing pressure by about 43–90% and 41–73%, respectively, after five F-T cycles. The findings of this study are relevant to the design of geocell-reinforced bases under F-T cycles and advance the understanding of the underlying mechanisms.