Monitoring of arctic infrastructure (MonArc)

Climate change is described as one of the greatest challenges of our century. The most pronounced manifestation of climate change is rise of air temperatures, which is most visible in polar regions. Polar regions are affected by permafrost, which is soil under constantly negative temperatures, usually containing ice. Project activities took place in Svalbard where climate warming was observed during the last 30 years. Potential effect of increasing air temperatures in Svalbard will consist in increase of permafrost temperatures and the thickness of seasonally thaw layer. One may expect that these changes may lead to excessive settlements of foundations of infrastructure. Hence, monitoring of infrastructure located in four small towns of Longyearbyen, Barentsburg, Pyramiden and Svea Svalbard was initiated by the MonArc project. Monitoring will help to see current and future picture of infrastructure stability. Initiated monitoring will also help to improve design codes and will lead to money saving for future developments. The MonArc project created and facilitated research cooperation between Norwegian and Russian researchers in Svalbard on the basis of joint monitoring of infrastructure response to climate change influence. The Project involved parties representing research (SINTEF Community, Trondheim), academic institutions (Moscow State University, Moscow, and The University Centre in Svalbard, Longyearbyen), and authorities managing infrastructure (Longyearbyen Lokalstyre, Trust Arcticugol, Barentsburg, and Store Norske Spitsbergen Grubekompani Aktieselskap, Longyearbyen). Monitoring was performed in the summer period of 2017?2019. Project activities consisted in scientific and logistical planning of field works, execution of fieldwork, data processing and reporting. Field installations and measurements were successfully performed on two buildings in Longyearbyen, one building in Barentsburg and Pyramiden, and two buildings in Svea. Scientific deliverables of the project consist in base-line data set of foundations of surveyed buildings, which resent their elevations as of today. This data set can be used in the future comparative studies. Obtained project results were summarised in three project reports for the years 2017-2019. Project results were disseminated via project website and publications (journal, conference and popular science publications). Results were presented on the closing workshop, which took place in August 2019 in Longyearbyen. Project data showed that some of monitored buildings had significant settlements, which may be caused by issues during the maintenance, but also may be caused by the impacts of climate change. Results on monitoring will have practical value for society. In long run, obtained results can be used as an input data for assessment of climate change impacts on infrastructure. Results after first years of observations will help to analyse the state of infrastructure stability in current climate conditions. Project will strengthen the Norwegian knowledge and experience in Arctic geotechnical engineering and will be a bond to Russian researchers working on Arctic challenges.

Archived outcomes of the project: 1) Cooperation between Norwegian and Russian researches in Svalbard throught the joint monitoring of infrastructure in Longyearbyen, Barentsburg, Pyramiden and Svea was archived. 2) Base-line data set on elevations of foundations of several buildings was produced and is available for the the owners of infrastructure and general public. 3) Settlements of several buildings for the years 2017-2019 were obtained and evaluated. 4) Close look at the engineering solutions of surveyed buildings was performed, and the reasons behind observed settlements of infrastructure were discussed. 5) Knowledge exchange between Norwegian and Russian researchers was fruitful and it is expected that it will lead to new joined project proposals. 6) One intern and one MSc students were involved in the project. 7) Project performed active publishing of results and deliverable.

Contacts between Norwegian and Russian researchers will be facilitated through the project activities. Project activities will consist in opening and closing workshops (2015, 2017), joint field works and data analysis, and dissemination of results via joint publications and presenting of results to society via public lecture (Svalbardseminaret, 2017). Workshops will gather about 12 participants each time. Topographic surveys will be used for monitoring of infrastructure. Vertical positions of distinctive elements of structures will be monitored. Direct project findings will consist in uniform data on settlements of structures designed and constructed by different philosophies and different building techniques. Uniform data in infrastructures in Svalbard will allow one to perform comparative studies, including other polar regions. The most relatively critical R&D challenge is to find or establish stable benchmarks in difficult permafrost conditions on Svalbard. This challenge will be solved by revision of historical experience and joined close look to particular local conditions. Results will be recorded in data reports, which will be registered in the Research in Svalbard database (RiS-database), hence availability of existing data will be increased. Project structure includes opening and closing workshops (2015, 2017); field works and data reports (2015 to 2017); public lecture (Svalbardseminaret). Anticipated potential for use of the project findings is analysis of obtained uniform data. Analysis of local stability and integrity of infrastructures will help to save investments in infrastructure in the future. More cost efficient solutions for particular structures and for general planning of infrastructure can be proposed. Industry involved in the project will get their structures monitored by project executors, society - actual information on infrastructure stability in current climate conditions.