Geocryological Problems of Railroads on Permafrost

Abstract

The history of railway construction in permafrost zones in Russia, USA, Canada and China has extended more than 100 years. Nonetheless, no one has ever been able to build a railway track not subject to deformation caused by subsidence resulting from ice-rich subgrade soils thawing. This paper presents data on the roadbed state in the Zabaikalye and the Qinghai-Tibetan Railways as well as the Baikal-Amur Mainline. It also covers the possibility of roadbed stability maintenance using methods based on the reduction of the mean annual ground temperature and roadbed preservation in a permafrost state by means of the natural cooling and heating factors ratio regulation resulting in a reduction of the heat generation in the roadbed and the adjoining area accompanied by an increase of heat consumption. The research results on the Qinghai- Tibetan Railway and the East-Siberian Railway are given. Permafrost underlies about 25% of the world's land surface. In Russia, permafrost and areas with deep seasonal ground freezing occupy approximately 70 % of the territory. In China, it is about 22.4% of the territory, mainly located in the western part. Railway operation in such areas is associated with significant and ever-increasing non-production material and labor costs; primarily for railroad maintenance and repair. This is mainly associated with numerous deformations of roadbeds and other infrastructure facilities caused by subsidence which is the result of the thawing of icy ground as well as frost