68th Canadian Geotechnical Conference and 7th Canadian Permafrost Conference

FIELD MEASUREMENTS OF PERMAFROST CONDITIONS BESIDE THE DEMPSTER HIGHWAY EMBANKMENT, PEEL PLATEAU, NWT

Session: In Situ Testing, Instrumentation, and Monitoring in Cold Regions / Essais insitu et instrumentation en milieu nordique

Brendan O'Neill, Carleton University (Canada)
Chris Burn, Carleton University (Canada)
Steve Kokelj, Northwest Territories Geological Survey (Canada)

Permafrost conditions were examined adjacent to the Dempster Highway road embankment on Peel Plateau, NWT. Ground temperatures recorded in 2013-14 at five sites at the embankment toe and at two control sites are presented. Annual mean temperatures near 5 m depth ranged between -2.2 and 0.0 °C at the embankment toe, and were -1.8 and 2.6 °C at control sites. Permafrost has degraded near the road at four sites. Thaw depths at degrading sites were typically >1 m, but < 1 m in the undisturbed tundra of the region. High ground temperatures at road sites were associated with deep snow accumulation. Numerical modelling should be used to explore the effects of snow compaction or removal to reduce ground temperatures.