A hybrid peridynamics-finite element method for thermo-hydro-mechanical modeling of frost cracking in frozen soils

The simulation of frost cracking in cold-region soils involves the coupling of multiple physical processes, including heat transfer, water migration, phase change, and mechanical deformation, which presents significant challenges for traditional numerical methods. In this study, a thermo-hydro-mechanical (THM) coupled model based on classical frozen soil theory is combined with a hybrid peridynamics-finite element method (PD–FEM) to develop a numerical framework for simulating the damage and cracking behavior of soils during freezing. The PD method is used to describe the crack evolution process without requiring predefined crack paths, while the FEM is employed to solve the coupled temperature and water migration equations. The freeze-induced cracking process of a soil column under unidirectional freezing conditions was simulated. The simulation results agree well with experimental data, indicating that the proposed model can effectively capture damage, crack initiation, and propagation in soil during freezing while efficiently coupling multiple physical processes. Furthermore, this study explores the influence of crack propagation and the infilling material within the cracks on the freezing process.