Soil freezing - The concept of soil water potential. State of the art

Soils and other porous media influenced by subzero temperatures impose special conditions an the water freezing within them. These conditions have been investigated by many scientists but they have only been described in detail for the last three decades. The coexistence of ice and water in the soil pores is the most fundamental property of frozen soils. Consequently, the study of frozen soils requires consideration of phase change and freezing points. These conditions are very complex and the proper interpretation of field situations by means of the fundamental sciences, requires a careful attention to identifying the terms and concepts used by physicists and chemists with those used by geologists, engineers, soil scientists and others. The author's aim is to present the review of different terms used for describing the process of water migration to the freezing zone. This effect is generally known as a suction or cryosuction. In the following sections, a short literature review and a discussion of the concept of potential of soil water is presented. understanding of the potential concept as applied to soils ia an introduction to understanding the water relations in soil freezing.