Improving Construction and Performance of a Runway in Nuiqsut, Alaska

Airports provide the only means of reliable access to many arctic communities in Alaska and are essential for goods, transportation, and medical care. Despite being surfaced with gravel, the runways must provide reliable access year-round. Many of the runways in the North Slope region were constructed in the 1980s, when conventional engineering design indicated 1.3-meter to 2-meter embankments were adequate to protect the runways from settlement of the underlying permafrost. Global climate change has resulted in thaw instability of many runways. Short, wet, cold construction seasons make construction of arctic runways challenging. In addition, gravel surfacing can be difficult to produce locally and is generally of poor quality. This paper presents the solutions used to address the challenges for rehabilitating the gravel runway in Nuiqsut, Alaska. Insulation was installed in the runway embankment to limit the potential for future global warming to thaw the underlying permafrost. Geotextiles accelerated drainage during reconstruction of the embankment fill over the insulation. Dust control additives were blended into the gravel surfacing to increase strength and performance. This paper also presents lessons learned through design and construction. Recommendations are provided for design of future runways, and the value of the insulation, wicking geotextile, and dust control blending is discussed.