Construction on Glaciers 1

[Enquirer11]

Good day,
I am wondering if anyone has experience of constructing semi-permanent roads on glaciers, the methods used and the problems/pitfalls (and I don't just mean the crevasses)?

I can't see that there would be a one size fits all answer but any references, examples, ideas etc would be useful.

I have Googled but cannot not find any info though I believe there are such animals in Greenland and possibly Norway.

thanks

 

[CarlB]

No experience, but..
-Include South Pole station in your searches, it's on a thick ice cap so may be considered a stable glacier (but it is moving).
-Lots of ice roads are constructed in northern Canada & Alaska, not on a glacier put probably some similar challenges.

 

[Enquirer11]

Thanks Carl.

I appreciate the quick response.

I am based in Canada and my company has experience in ice roads but we want to use this road year round, ie during summer, and my mind is filling with 'what ifs'.

cheers

 

[GabionGuy]

You might be able to some guidance looking into reinforced embankments over very soft soils and over voids. BS8006 may be useful or you could contact Linear Composites and inquire about geocomposites used for soft soil reinforcement.

 

[Enquirer11]

Thanks Gabionguy.

I was thinking on the same lines - fabric with fill on top. We may lose the road through creep - depending upon the galcier movement and we're not sure of that yet. The fabric will provide a temporary solution however.

If it ever goes ahead, I will buy shares in a fabric company - there is quite a length of raod.

cheers and thanks again

 

[GabionGuy]

With a very high strength geocomposite (700kN/m +), creep might not be such an issue. It might also possible to use woven steel mesh for reinforcement in this application - i think there was some work done in Edmonton years ago using woven steel mesh reinforcement.

I am located in Canada. If I can help, let me know.

 

[fattdad]

I have heard of (but have no direct experience with) "hog fuel" roads. Hog fuel, is a wood chip that comes from a "hog mill." Big wood chips. You can lay in a geogrid and then some hog fuel and then some geogrid and then some hog fuel and then some separation geotextile and then some driving surface.

Check it out! You can haul alot of hog fuel and in the cold climes, it's not like it'll decay rapidly.

f-d

¡papá gordo ain’t no madre flaca!

 

[dgillette]

The hog fuel might have the added advantage of acting as an insulator, helping to keep your road's "subbase" in good condition during the summer months.
]

 

[ishvaaag]

Even if of Ice, glaciers are still rivers. With a pontoon-like structure you will be able to jack (or walk) them Y and Z to position as flow advances, keeping your X aligned. Not cheap.

 

[Enquirer11]

Thanks dgillette and ishvaaag

IF this goes ahead (after a lot more work) I'll let you all know the outcome.

cheers

 

[beej67]

Disclaimer: Zero experience with this kind of engineering


Idea:
If I were designing this, my biggest concern with glacial creep wouldn't be the creep itself, it'd be differential creep as you move perpendicular to the direction of glacial flow. I don't know much about glaciers, but if they're anything like a slow fluid they creep more in the center than on the edges. If I were designing it, I'd make as many stretches of the road parallel to glacial flow as possible, with a few short hops perpendicular to the flow of the glacier, as those are more likely to experience differential creep, and develop cracks or shifts due to glacial movement. Then you'd be centralizing the areas likely to need repairs to shorter stretches, for maintenance of the road.


Repeated Disclaimer: I may be totally full of it. My only point of educational reference is Discovery Channel.

 

[Enquirer11]

beej67 - thanks for the comments - I agree but unfortunately I have to cross a considerable distance of glacier ie going across the 'grain'.

A problem like this certainly exercises the mind.

cheers.

 

[TDAA]

I would think that thermal issues may have an impact on on how the road performs. If you are adding a dark material to the top of the ice, won't that increase the likelihood the ice will melt with the sunlight warming the material?

 

[Enquirer11]

TDAA - thanks.

Yes I think you are right.

thoughts that have passed by my mind - spray the fill white with an inoncuous material; build the road in a cut in the snow/ice so that less sun hits the ice and fill; put a screen along parts that face the sun;

 

[CarlB]

There's an article from a permafrost conference about a road at Camp Tuto-

http://books.google.com/books?id=3jErAAAAYAAJ

(35 meg download to get the short article)

Follow-up study on its movement:

http://en.scientificcommons.org/18301779

Another road on a glacier, found reference but no source:
Title Access road across Hoganes Glacier to the new Svea Mine, Svalbard
Author Morken, P.O.
Author Affil. Morken, P.O., Store Norske, Longyearbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands
Source Proceedings of the International Symposium on Mining in the Arctic, Vol.6, p.149-152, ; 6th international symposium on Mining in the Arctic, Nuuk, Greenland, May 28-31, 2001, edited by H.K. Olsen, L. Lorentzen and O. Rendal. Publisher: A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam, Netherlands. ISBN: 90-5809-177-5
Pub Date 2001

 

[Enquirer11]

Thank you CarlB - I took a quick look at the references and there seem to be some good articles