Unique Thermosyphon Roadway Test Site Spanning 11 years

Anna M. Wagner, John P. Zarling, Edward Yarmak, Jr., Erwin L. Long

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

Session: W2-C

ABSTRACT: rmosyphon Roadway Test Site Spanning 11 years Anna M. Wagner US Army Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory, Ft. Wainwright, AK, USA John P. Zarling Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Œ University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA Edward Yarmak, Jr. & Erwin L. Long Arctic Foundations Inc., Anchorage, AK, USA ABSTRACT Slope instability at the shoulders of roadways and settlement of embankments are common in permafrost areas. A test site incorporating three types of thermosyphons was installed at the Chena Hot Springs Road, northeast of Fairbanks, Alaska in 1998 with the objective to develop and improve the use of thermosyphons for roadways. Eleven years following the installation, the permafrost temperatures have decreased by up to 3 ºC. This study validates the use of thermosyphons for reducing or eliminating thaw settlement of roadways.

RÉSUMÉ: Instabilité des versants à l'accotements et tassement des remblais sont fréquents dans les zones de pergélisol. Un site de test comportant trois types de thermosiphons a été installé à la Route Chena Hot Springs, au nord de Fairbanks, en Alaska en 1998 avec l'objectif de développer et d'améliorer l'utilisation de thermosiphons pour les routes. Onze ans après l'installation, la température du pergélisol ont diminué de près de 3 ºC. Cette étude valide l'utilisation de thermosiphons pour réduire ou éliminer tassement dû au dégel des chaussées. 1 INTRODUCTION Constructing roads over ice-rich discontinuous permafrost

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