Applications of cryofacies approach to frozen ground engineering - Case study of a road test site along the Alaska Highway (Beaver Creek, Yukon, Canada)

Eva Stephani, Daniel Fortier, Yuri Shur

In the proceedings of: GEO2010 Calgary: 63rd Canadian Geotechnical Conference & 6th Canadian Permafrost Conference

Session: T2-D

ABSTRACT: In 2008, a test site at Beaver Creek (Yukon) was implemented to test mitigation techniques for controlling permafrost degradation along the Alaska Highway. The cryostratigraphy and soil geotechnical properties were determined based on the identification of cryofacies. The spatial distribution and typical properties of types of permafrost can be evaluated by analysis of the cryostructures of permafrost cores retrieved from specific terrain units. This methodological approach allows extrapolation of the properties of frozen and thawing soils over vast areas. We present an application of the cryofacies approach to permafrost engineering, tested at the Beaver Creek experimental site.

RÉSUMÉ: En 2008, un site expérimental visant à évaluer l'efficacité de techniques de contrôle de la dégradation du pergélisol sous l'autoroute d'Alaska a été construit à Beaver Creek (Yukon). La cryostratigraphie a été déterminée à partir de la description des cryofaciès. Les propriétés géotechniques des cryofaciès ont été mesurées en laboratoire. L'analyse des cryofaciès propres aux unités de terrain permet d'évaluer la distribution spatiale des types de pergélisol et ainsi estimer les propriétés du pergélisol sur de vastes étendues. Nous présentons ici la méthode des cryofacies appliquée en ingénierie au cas du site expérimental de Beaver Creek. 1 INTRODUCTION

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