Final answer:
Spalling of clay tiles in cold climates is often a result of poor freeze-thaw resistance, causing expansion and contraction similar to thermal stresses observed in other materials and systems.
Step-by-step explanation:
Spalling of clay tile in cold climates is often due to poor freeze-thaw resistance. In environments with fluctuating temperatures, materials expand and contract. Spalling of clay tiles in cold climates is often a result of poor freeze-thaw resistance, causing expansion and contraction similar to thermal stresses observed in other materials and systems.
Similar to how power lines sag more in the summer and may snap in the winter due to thermal stress, or how glass cooking pans can crack from rapid or uneven cooling, clay tiles can suffer from spalling when repeatedly subjected to freezing and thawing cycles if they are not designed with adequate frost resistance. This degradation can be compared to the thermal expansion of sea water contributing to the rise in sea level from global warming, where repeated volumetric changes lead to structural weakening.