Environmental Triaxial Automated System for Research on Permafrost Degradation and Hydrate Dissociation
Abstract
Climate warming has led to widespread permafrost degradation and natural gas hydrate dissociation (melting) in the Arctic, posing a significant threat to the structural integrity of military infrastructure critical to national security and increasing uncertainty about the trafficability of permafrost tundra. In addition, economic opportunities, particularly in the oil and gas industry as well as international interactions, cooperation, and conflict in the Arctic, have increased the demand for military defense in the northern areas of the US. This DURIP proposal seeks to acquire an Environmental Triaxial Automated System capable of determining the geomechanical behaviors of degrading permafrost and gas hydrate. These measurements and data are critical to understanding the safety and survivability of critical facilities and military structures due to permafrost degradation and coastal bank erosion, as well as the trafficability of degrading permafrost for tactical mobility. This instrumentation will complement ongoing research at two Ohio State departments: Civil, Environmental and Geodetic Engineering, and the School of Earth Sciences, as well as the Ohio State Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center. It will also have a growing impact on current initiatives established by the DoD Arctic Strategy and Global Resilience Office and a wide range of programs supported by DoD and other national agencies. Moreover, it will be immediately utilized to train graduate students in permafrost and hydrate research and courses in Fall of 2024. Leveraging this instrument, Ohio State?the third-largest public university campus by enrollment?will establish a pipeline of Arctic scientists and engineers in the US for the next 20 years. Additionally, experiential learning activities and community engagement utilizing this instrument, through potential DURIP-LL opportunities, will raise awareness among K-12 students and the public about the US national security interest in the Arctic.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Aug 09, 2023
- Source ID
- W911NF2310356
Entities
People
- Min Liew
Organizations
- Army Contracting Command
- Ohio State University
- United States Army