Ice jacking occurs when water invades a confined space in a structural support, or geologic formation, and upon freezing causes structural fracture as the ice expands.
Geologic engineering
Rock slope failures can occur due to the presence of water; ice jacking occurs when water between joint or fissure surfaces freezes and expands. This type of failure is progressive, resulting in incremental weakening over time, often requiring several cycles before failure. Ice jacking is one form of rock erosion.
References
Ice jacking Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA