Geology Reference
In-Depth Information
14
Geotechnical and
Engineering Aspects
Permafrost and intense frost action affect virtually all aspects of economic activity in
periglacial environments. Geotechnical and engineering problems are caused prima-
rily by frost heave and thaw settlement. The provision of housing, municipal services,
water supply, roads, bridges, railways, and airstrips all require that the peculiarities of
cold-climate terrain be taken into account. Similarly, natural resources exploration,
development, and management present special problems, and the cost of both preventa-
tive and remedial measures is often signifi cant.
14.1. INTRODUCTION
There is no denying the importance of permafrost in infl uencing human activities. Refer-
ring specifi cally to his experience in the construction of the Alaska Highway in 1942-1943,
S. W. Muller wrote:
The destructive action of permafrost phenomena has materially impeded the coloniza-
tion and development of extensive and potentially rich areas in the north. Roads, rail-
ways, bridges, houses and factories have suffered deformation, at times beyond repair,
because the condition of permafrost ground was not examined beforehand, and because
the behavior of frozen ground was little, if at all, understood. (
Muller, 1943, pp. 1-2
)
Cold-regions engineering is now a recognized specialty of engineering practice in
North America and Scandinavia (Johnston, 1981; Senneset, 2000; Smith and Sego,
1994). In Russia and China, permafrost engineering is central to geocryology (Kamen-
sky, 1998; Yershov, 1990). It is also realized that periglacial environments contains
large quantities of hitherto untapped natural resources. In historic times, placer gold
and mineral exploitation (zinc, copper, iron) activities were traditional activities. The
last 30 years has seen discovery, in both Arctic North America and northern Russia, of
large hydrocarbon (oil and gas) reserves and of precious minerals such as diamond,
tungsten, and uranium.
This chapter outlines some of the geotechnical problems associated with the settlement,
human activity, and natural resource development of periglacial environments. Special
attention is given to oil and gas exploitation, the mining of precious metals, and the various
preventative and remedial environmental measures that are commonly adopted.
