Skip to content
paysagement

frost depth

In French: profondeur de gel

Definition

Depth to which the ground freezes in winter. In Quebec it exceeds one metre under cleared surfaces and increases northward. Paving does not go below it: it floats on a free-draining base.

Also called

  • frost line
  • frost penetration

Other names in French

  • ligne de gel
  • pénétration du gel

Sources

  1. The MTQ gives average frost depths under roads of more than one metre in Montreal, deeper in Quebec City, Saguenay, Abitibi and Chibougamau. (p. 16)

    Étude de l'action du gel sur les routes · Ministère des Transports du Québec, Service des sols et chaussées