Effets du gel sur les infrastructures routières argileuses au Québec
This study deals with the freeze and thaw effects on the mechanical behaviour of the clayey subgrades exposed by cuts for the placement of road foundations. Twelve cut sites have been analysed in cooperation with the ministère des Transports du Québec. As damages were observed after the first winter on some of the sites, whereas none were apparent on other sites, it was possible to define the factors that may lead to such damages. In particular, the field study confirms the laboratory results showing that criteria based on liquidity index are sufficient to characterize the change of mechanical behaviour of the clayey soils subjected to one freeze–thaw cycle. Key words : clay, liquidity index, freeze-thaw, bearing capacity of roads, heaving, cut. [Translated by the Journal]