Engineering aspects of periglacial features in Britain

Abstract

Summary The paper deals with ground effects resulting from snow and frost outside the margins of the ice sheets during the Quaternary ice ages. This environment, termed 'periglacial', is defined and the main classes of periglacial and related phenomena found fossil in Britain are classified and described, under the headings of superficial structural disturbances, mass movements, and periglacial deposits and their properties. The geotechnical aspects of each are described and illustrated with case histories. The paper concludes by reviewing, with examples, site investigation techniques appropriate to British periglacial problems.