Adaptation Methods for Transportation Infrastructure Built on Degrading Permafrost

TLDR

Climate warming since the late 20th century has begun to degrade permafrost, threatening infrastructure integrity and driving costly maintenance in permafrost regions. This review examines permafrost degradation processes, their geotechnical impacts, and summarizes mitigation strategies for transportation infrastructure built on permafrost. The authors synthesize field and laboratory tests, numerical simulations, and engineering practices to evaluate passive cooling and other adaptation techniques. They conclude that warming and surface changes cause degradation and damage, passive cooling methods consistently reduce heat, mitigation is more expensive than conventional construction, and future warming must be incorporated into design and service‑life planning. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Abstract

Abstract Climate warming since the second half of the 20 th 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.