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Performance of an insulated roadway on permafrost, Inuvik, N.W.T.

From National Research Council Canada

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FormatText, Article
Conference4th International Conference on Permafrost, July 17, 1983, Fairbanks, Alaska, United States
Subjectpermafrost; soils; highways; insulating (activity); thermal insulating materials; cold regions
Abstract
In 1972 four insulated and two uninsulated test sections were installed and instrumented on the Mackenzie Highway (a gravel-surfaced, all-season road) near Inuvik, N.W.T., to evaluate the use of extruded polystyrene board insulation to control permafrost degradation. Two test sections were insulated with a 90-mm layer of insulation, another with a 50-mm layer, and a fourth with 115 mm. Preliminary analysis had indicated that an optimum insulation thickness of about 90 mm would be required. Ground temperature and settlement observations over a 6-year period showed that permafrost aggraded under all insulated test sections, whereas under the uninsulated (control) sections it receded by as much as 60 cm. Approximately 60 cm of settlement was experienced by the control sections, about 30 cm by the 50- mm insulated section, and little or none by the sections having 90 and 115 mm of insulation. The 90 mm of insulation was shown to provide adequate protection against thawing; 50 mm of insulation was not sufficient.
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  • Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Permafrost: 548–553.
LanguageEnglish
Peer reviewedYes
IdentifierDBR-P-1169
NRC numberNRCC 23069
NRC-IRC-1824
NPARC number20378039
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Record identifier1bbd3ecc-4814-4fd5-ba31-6ccf93495bfb
Record created2012-07-24
Record modified2024-03-22
Date modified: