Which structural weakness becomes apparent when Roman roads on clay subsoil experience prolonged freezing temperatures?

💡 Explanation

When clay subsoil freezes, ice lens formation occurs throughout causing volumetric expansion; roads lose support when the soil thaws because of weakened load-bearing capacity, leading to rut formation. Therefore rutting occurs rather than concrete separation, thermal cracking, or lateral spreading because the underlying material softens under traffic load after repeated freeze/thaw cycles.

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