|
SCIENCE TO TECHNOLOGY--THE IMPORTANCE OF UNDERSTANDING THE FUNDAMENTALS OF PERMAFROST SCIENCE FOR ENGINEERS PRACTICING IN THE NORTH Session: John Ross MacKay Symposium - Permafrost I / Symposium John Ross MacKay - Pergélisol I Don Hayley, Hayley Arctic Geoconsultants (Canada) The author met Ross Mackay in 1972 after requesting his assistance preparing for a pipeline data collection program in the Mackenzie Valley. Mackay provided selflessly of his time to transfer basic knowledge of permafrost and ground ice with advice on what to look for in the field. That relationship carried on to the end of his life with exchange of information useful for engineering purposes. He was outstanding in his dedication to his research and to those who worked with him and went on to carve out their own niche in this important region of Canada. The paper looks at the importance of understanding the genesis of ground ice and its importance to engineering. Polygonal ground formed by ice wedges is identified as a high-risk terrain unit. The paper relates this knowledge to decisions that had to be made when routing a new highway from Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk. The route crosses 140 km of some of the most difficult terrain for road building in Canada.
|
