The study of the ground freezing method using natural cold to protect the foundation pit from groundwater inflow

When the bottom of the foundation pit is below the groundwater level, groundwater drawdown is required; as a rule, it is extremely expensive. In order to reduce water drawdown costs in areas with consistently low air temperatures we suggest to excavate foundation pits in wintertime. As with hydraulic engineering constructions erected in the Far North, natural ground freezing allows for creating the waterproof ice wall that prevents the foundation pit from being flooded. The paper describes the sequence of ground freezing operations and methods to forecast the thermal state of the waterproof ground element during construction in Magadan, Russia. Calculations were made to reveal the conditions under which ice formation is probable in the foundation ditch when creating the ice wall, and a simple anti-icing method that involves using snow was proposed. The results can be applied in regions with extreme climatic conditions.