Sustainable Design of Artificial Ground Freezing Schemes Based on Thermal-Energy Efficiency Analysis

Jun Hu, Hanyu Dang, Ying Nie (), Junxin Shi, Zhaokui Sun, Dan Zhou and Yongchang Yang
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Jun Hu: School of Civil and Architectural Engineering, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
Hanyu Dang: School of Civil and Architectural Engineering, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
Ying Nie: Kunming Prospecting Design Institute of China Nonferrous Metals Industry Co., Ltd., Kunming 650051, China
Junxin Shi: School of Civil and Architectural Engineering, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
Zhaokui Sun: School of Civil and Architectural Engineering, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
Dan Zhou: School of Civil and Architectural Engineering, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
Yongchang Yang: Hainan Institute of Hydrological and Geological Engineering Exploration, Haikou 571100, China

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 22, 1-28

Abstract: To enhance the design and construction efficiency of artificial ground freezing (AGF) in water-rich sandy strata, this study takes the No. 2 cross-passage of Zhengzhou Metro Line 8 as a case study and conducts an integrated analysis combining field monitoring and numerical simulation. During the freezing process, a sensor network was deployed to capture real-time data on temperature distribution and pore water pressure evolution. Based on the collected measurements, a three-dimensional hydrothermal coupled model was developed using COMSOL Multiphysics 6.1 and validated against field data. The results demonstrate a distinct multi-stage evolution in the formation of the frozen curtain, with the highest heat exchange rate observed at the initial phase. Under a 50-day freezing schedule, increasing the average coolant temperature by 4 °C still yielded a frozen wall that meets the design thickness requirement. Additionally, several cost-effective freezing schemes were explored to accommodate varying construction timelines. This study supports sustainable urban infrastructure development by minimizing energy consumption during artificial ground freezing (AGF) processes.

Keywords: artificial ground freezing; hydrothermal coupling simulation; evolution of the temperature field; sustainable construction; resource optimization (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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