To predict and control the frost heave behavior of surrounding rock in freezing construction， based on the theory of accumulated deformation energy in elastoplastic materials with expansion tendencies， this study analyzed that frozen soil with expansion tendencies under constraints possessed such deformation energy， which manifested as frost heave stress and frost heave strain when the constraints were insufficient or released. Therefore， this paper proposed the concept and expression of frost heave potential on the basis of the theory of elastic deformation energy. This concept， with frost heave stress and frost heave strain functions as parameters， represented the deformation energy accumulated in the soil due to freezing of the surrounding rock. Based on this， a series of frost heave tests were conducted on silty clay along a subway line. Calculations yielded frost heave stress and frost heave strain at different temperatures. When the freezing temperature was -10 ℃， the frost heave stress， frost heave strain， and frost heave rate were 0.338 MPa， 0.446%， and 3.13%， respectively. The calculated results were in good agreement with the actual engineering requirements. Frost heave potential can be used to describe the overall frost heave behavior of rock and soil masses and provides a new perspective and approach for enriching and developing frozen soil theory and freezing method technology.