Adaptation Methods for Transportation Infrastructure Built on Degrading Permafrost

Abstract

Climate warming since the second half of the 20th century has begun to significantly impact infrastructure integrity in permafrost environments and has already resulted in expensive maintenance operations. Engineers in countries with permafrost are actively working to adapt the design of structures to degrading permafrost conditions. Here, we review permafrost degradation processes and their geotechnical impacts. We also summarise mitigation techniques for protecting transportation infrastructure built on permafrost and for preventing permafrost degradation near these facilities based on the results of field and laboratory tests, numerical simulations and engineering practices on such infrastructure. We draw four conclusions: (1) climate warming and local surface changes have caused permafrost degradation, and resulted in instability and damage leading to infrastructure maintenance and repair; (2) passive cooling methods, including high‐albedo surfacing, sun‐sheds, air convection embankments, air ducts, heat drains and thermosyphons, have shown consistent cooling effects, if designed appropriately; (3) mitigation and adaptation methods are more expensive than conventional construction techniques as shown by construction cost data for a test site in Canada; and (4) the influence of continued climate warming on permafrost and infrastructure design must be considered within the design of new or rehabilitated infrastructure and within the context of the infrastructure's service life. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Status and Change of the Cryosphere in the Extended Hindu Kush Himalaya Region

“…Furthermore, permafrost thaw can lead to ground movement via thaw settlement, and changed geotechnical characteristics via ground-ice melt. This is important because it can lead to problems with infrastructure built in permafrost environments, which requires special attention during planning, construction, and maintenance (Doré et al 2016;Bommer et al 2010).…”

Impact of heat advection on the thermal regime of roads built on permafrost

“…The temperatures within a road embankment's sub‐base (i.e., a layer of fill material) and subgrade (i.e., native material under an embankment) are a function of air temperature, atmospheric radiation, wind convection, and heat conduction through the embankment material (Dumais & Doré, ; Hall, Dehdezi, Dawson, Grenfell, & Isola, ; Zhang, Wu, Liu, & Gao, ). The thermal regime of infrastructure can be modified and cooled by mitigation techniques used in or on the embankment (Chen, Yu, Yi, Hu, & Liu, ; Doré, Niu, & Brooks, ; Goering & Kumar, ; Lai, Zhang, Zhang, & Mi, ). Water infiltration and subsurface water flow through and under an embankment can also alter the thermal regime of roadways (de Grandpré, Fortier, & Stephani, ; Fortier et al, ; Zottola, Darrow, Daanen, Fortier, & Grandpré, ).…”

“…2017). The thermal regime of infrastructure can be modified and cooled by mitigation techniques used in or on the embankment (Chen, Yu, Yi, Hu, & Liu, 2018;Doré, Niu, & Brooks, 2016;Goering & Kumar, 1996;Lai, Zhang, Zhang, & Mi, 2003). Water infiltration and subsurface water flow through and under an embankment can also alter the thermal regime of roadways (de Grandpré, Fortier, & Stephani, 2012;Fortier et al, 2016;Zottola, Darrow, Daanen, Fortier, & Grandpré, 2012).…”

Public Perception of Climate Change in Alaska: A Case Study of Opinion-Mining using Twitter

“…This causes changes in ground stability (Rowland et al, 2010), hydrological conditions (Lawrence, Slater, & Swenson, 2012;Woo, 1986), ecology (Jorgenson, Racine, Walters, & Osterkamp, 2001), and coastal erosion (Lantuit & Pollard, 2008), all of which influence the daily life of local communities (Bartsch & Meyer, 2016). This has led to new transportation and infrastructure needs caused by changing ground and ice conditions (Larsen et al, 2008;Liljedahl et al, 2016), altering the way people are able to traverse the landscape (Doré, Niu, & Brooks, 2016). Natural hazards are generally thought to become more frequent (Nelson, Anisimov, & Shiklomanov, 2002).…”