Permafrost Degradation and Seismic Hazard: Case Study of Northway Airport, Alaska
Publication: Journal of Cold Regions Engineering
Volume 38, Issue 4
Abstract
Substantial degradation can occur to warm permafrost due to changes in surface conditions resulting from infrastructure development and climate warming. The associated geohazards, including differential settlement, slope instability, and liquefaction of degraded, unconsolidated materials in seismically active warm permafrost regions, pose substantial threats to the built infrastructure. Among them, seismic hazards of degraded permafrost have received little attention. This paper aims to provide a case study of an airport built on warm permafrost about 80 years ago, focusing on climate changes, permafrost degradation, and observed seismic hazards during a strong earthquake. The study site, that is, the Northway Airport, is located in a discontinuous permafrost area in Interior Alaska. Geotechnical data from 1973, 1991, and 2005 were compiled and analyzed to reveal permafrost degradation at various surface conditions, and are compared with the well-known degradation data from a site in Fairbanks. Furthermore, the responses of the airport runway during the 2002 Denali earthquake (Mw = 7.9), including liquefaction and lateral spreading displacements, are described and analyzed. And the seismic hazards of civilian airports built on permafrost across Alaska are surveyed. Distinct trends are revealed in two periods, namely, from 1943 to 1975 and from 1976 to 2021, for air temperature, precipitation, and wind speed. Permafrost tables were observed to drop with time at various rates for different surface conditions. Liquefaction and lateral spreading were observed extensively during the earthquake. The locations of observed liquefaction at the airport are mapped, and the lateral spreading displacements are estimated based on available photos. The standard penetration test data collected during geotechnical investigations are analyzed, and a liquefiable layer is identified at the talik between the active layer and the permafrost table. Moreover, 55% of Alaska's civilian airports are in permafrost areas. Among them, two-thirds fall within seismic zones with a risk level of 3 or above. This study demonstrates the high seismic risks of degraded permafrost and its potential impact on the built infrastructure.
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Data Availability Statement
All data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Acknowledgments
The partial financial support from Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) via the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (AKDOT&PF) [FHWA-AK-RD-4000(200), HFHWY00198] is appreciated. We want to thank Andrew Pavey, Elmer Marx, and Dave Hemstreet at AKDOT&PF for supporting this project and for the feedback provided during this study. We would also like to thank Scott Maybrier and Glen Marunde at AKDOT&PF for their help with the historical geotechnical reports and for input received placing the photos of the Northway Airport in a geographic context. Lyle Cronk helped discover some of the highest-resolution photographs of the Northway Airport.
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Journal of Cold Regions Engineering
Volume 38 • Issue 4 • December 2024
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© 2024 American Society of Civil Engineers.
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Received: Aug 14, 2023
Accepted: May 2, 2024
Published online: Aug 27, 2024
Published in print: Dec 1, 2024
Discussion open until: Jan 27, 2025
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