Under the influence of climate change, the
permafrost degeneration on the northern hemisphere
has been accelerated, causing deformation on
engineering constrictions as paved roads from thaw
settlement, especially in ice-rich permafrost regions.
Thus, the paved road construction in permafrost
regions, under such adaptation technology and
designs to climate changes, is one of the most
important tasks and presents an ultimate test for
permafrost engineers and scientists. In the permafrost
regions, there are many engineered solutions
available to stabilize paved road embankment
materials. These solutions have been classified using
a descending order of perceived thermal effects from
active cooling to passive cooling such as
thermosyphons, cooling pipes, block stone
embankments, shading boards, and insulation
embankments. Along paved roads in warm
permafrost zones, significant settlement and
deformations related to creep were found at many
places where the embankments are unusually tin in
Mongolia. Therefore, the stabilization of the
embankments must be taken into consideration based
on active cooling and passive cooling methods, we
tested out the thermosyphon in natural condition,
Mongolia.
We are actively building the auto road connecting
the aimag centers, the western vertical road. This
road network crosses the permafrost in some parts.
Serious deformation and settlements took place on
road surface in permafrost regions. We have
investigated along the roads in Buraat pass in Bayan-
Ulgii province, using the drilling, electric resistivity
tomography, relative settlements, and temperature
measurements. The amount of relative settlement
was approximately 20- 40 cm on road surface within
3 years after construction and 5-10 cm within 1-2
years after construction and the permafrost thaw was
observed from top of permafrost.
