Review of Geocryological Hazards and Risks Assessment

Hazards and risks assessment of dangerous geocryological processes is an actual problem in connection with climate change.Permafrost is widespread in Russia,Canada,the USA(Alaska),China,Mongolia and in mountain regions.Currently there are many papers concerning permafrost-related hazards,but the conceptual and basic techniques are not available. Different approaches for solving this problem are considered in the paper.The generally accessible techniques of geocryological processes quantitative risk assessment are not available.The problem lies

Russian and Foreign Experience Review of Territorial Geocryological Hazards Assessment and Risks of Geocryological Processes' Impact

Hazards and risks assessment of dangerous geocryological processes is actual problem in connection with climate change.Permafrost is widespread in Russia,Canada,the USA(Alaska), China,Mongolia and in mountain regions.Currently there are many papers concerning permafrost-related hazards,but the conceptual and based techniques are not available.Different approaches for solving this problem are considered in the paper.The generally accessible techniques of geocryological processes quantitative risk assessment are not available.The problem lies in uncertainty appearing from

科累马河低地右岸地区的工程冻土问题(英文)

Engineering-geocryological investigations were held in Cherskii settlement. It located on the right shore of Kolyma river, presenting one of the largest ports on it, supporting many gold and tin mines of Chukotka region. The site was built up during mass Arctic researches and developed as a centre of Arctic expedition s infrastructure and a support base on the North Marine Way in 1970-1980s years, before new rules of permafrost engineering were accepted. About 30 ferroconcrete panel buildings were built up. A wide infrastructure including roads, aerodrome and naval port were built. 2003 investigations revealed about 30% of panel buildings deformed. The reasons of the phenomenon are submitted in the article.

Permafrost and geotechnical investigations in Nalaikh Depression of Mongolia

Mongolia is a land-locked country in Central Asia, located between Russia and China. The country＇s high altitude results in cold, dry, and harsh climatic conditions with permafrost being widespread through the territory. Although the capital city Ulaanbaatar is situated in an area with discontinuous permafrost, the downtown section has recently seen a disappearance of permafrost due to an underground central heating system. During the last decade, expansion of the suburbs toward the Nalaikh Depression has resulted in construction of a new residential complex （Urgakh Naran）, construction materials trading center, cement factory and agricultural products market. In the next 10 years, projects such as a university campus, logistics center, residential complex, railway and highway extensions connecting Russia and China have been planned. Engineering-geological and geotechnical investigations have been conducted for these construction projects. This paper presents some of the results determining the engineering geocryological conditions of Nalaikh district and offers foundation design options.

Complex analysis of the damage caused by geocryologic processes (as exemplified by effects on the Chara-China Railway track, Transbaikal region)

The report presents an analysis of a unique data set demonstrating the influence of geocryological processes on the 75-km Chara-China Railway track(northern Transbaikal region).The originality of these investigations lies in the study of the influence of natural processes on the road in the absence of any repair works or protective and compensating measures for a long period of time(1998~2014).These conditions allowed assessment of the actual damage to the railroad.

Safety of small and medium dams in permafrost regions

Safe operation and performance of dams is one of the key issues in permafrost regions. At present, the existing dams are 40–45 years old and they are reaching their design life limit. Intensive geocryological processes（thermokarst, thermal erosion, frost heaving, suffosion, concentrated seepage along the voids left by melt ice and others） begin to develop at the early stages of construction. These processes are even more intensive under severe climatic conditions of the permafrost zone due to the large thermal and moisture gradients and the resulting complex thermal stress-strain state in the structures. Determining safety criteria is a critical and difficult task in dam safety management. The existing procedures need to be continuously refined and improved depending on dam importance class. Some researchers recommend introducing process development criteria（stability, destabilization, and extremality） for more objective assessment of dam safety, in addition to the existing two condition criteria. In other words, they call for a multi-factor dam – environment interaction system. A case study of safety declaration for an existing dam is presented.

A REVIEW OF THE CURRENT STATE AND DEVELOPMENT TREND OF GEOCRYOLOGY THROUGH THE VI ICOP

Based on the review of the papers and other related material submitted to the conference, the status quo and developmental trends of geocryology is briefly discussed.

Progress of Glaciology and Geocryology Incubation Program of the National Natural Science Foundation of China

The 10^th5-year Plan for National Natural Science Foundation of China（NSFC）for fostering competent research teams and highly qualified scholars in fundamental research in glaciology and geocryology was based on the strategy of incubating ＂competitive, problem-solving oriented and motivated fledgling scientists,who can effectively lead and greatly advance the aimed subjects and conduct the cutting edge research＂.This principle has been playing crucial roles in restructuring the team aiming at world-first-class research projects and at solving critical problems in national key projects.It was under the guidance of this strategy that the key research team for mitigating the challenging and differential frost and thaw hazards along the Qinghai-Tibet Railway（QTR）had been formed,that a strong group focused on the cryosphere （snow, ice and permafrost）000research was restablished and enhanced.These accomplishments have facilitated the formation and growth of highly motivated competitive research teams on comprehensive and integrated fundamental research,which promoted,intensified,and expanded the research programs in glaciology and geocryology.