TECHNICAL PAPERS
Mar 1, 2005

Permafrost Studies in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau for Road Construction

Publication: Journal of Cold Regions Engineering
Volume 19, Issue 1

Abstract

Advances have been made in engineering–geological studies of roadbeds in permafrost areas of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau. The methodology used in engineering–geologic investigations has been greatly improved and provisions and regulations have been devised to guide engineering activities. Special attention has been paid to ground temperature and ice content because they are two of the most important and unique parameters for permafrost. Based on the data collected from recent studies, recommendations are made to enhance the stability of roadbeds. Under climate warming, a “roadbed cooling” approach is suggested for road constructions in “warm” permafrost. Advances have been also made in the prediction of changes in the permafrost engineering–geological environment, as induced by climate warming.

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Acknowledgements

The author sincerely thanks Prof. Yuanqing He and Dr. Baolai Wang for editing the English version of the article. This work was supported by the Grant of the Knowledge Innovation Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. KZCX1-SW-04).

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Go to Journal of Cold Regions Engineering
Journal of Cold Regions Engineering
Volume 19Issue 1March 2005
Pages: 19 - 29

History

Received: Feb 18, 2004
Accepted: Jul 26, 2004
Published online: Mar 1, 2005
Published in print: Mar 2005

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Authors

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Guodong Cheng [email protected]
Professor, State Key Laboratory of Frozen Soil Engineering, Cold and Arid Regions Environmental and Engineering Research Institute, Lanzhou, 730000, P. R. China. E-mail: [email protected]

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