Slip Zone Around Steel Piles to Reduce Frost Heaving

[CANeng11]

We are having issues with frost heaving driving steel piles out of the ground for a pipe rack. We are replacing most of the piles with screw piles which seem to perform better, but there are a few that are inaccessible and can't be replaced. Does anyone have any information on the concept of creating a "slip zone" around the steel piles to reduce the heaving? I don't have any information on how this is done, or the effectiveness of it. Someone just mentioned this to me as a possibility to explore.

Thanks.

 

[CarlB]

Chapter 4 of this manual discusses some methods.

https://www.wbdg.org/ccb/ARMYCOE/COETM/ARCHIVES/tm_5_852_4.pdf

A simple method commonly used with adfreeze (freezeback) piling is to wrap the portion of piles within the active layer (freeze/thaw zone) with 3 or so layers of polyethylene, tape securely.

 

[CANeng11]

Is there a method to apply the tape to existing piles?

 

[CarlB]

To create a "slip zone", you would have to physically remove soil around the pile to create space to apply some coating to the pile's surface.
If piles are truly inaccessible, methods to prevent frost jacking/heaving are limited.
Only thing that comes to mind is to place a shallow insulating layer to reduce frost penetration.

 

[Brad805]

Have you considered a vacuum truck? You might be able to vacuum the material out and install a sleeve similar to what they use to insulate pipes when they are too close to grade.