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Construction Ground Freezing A Look at Modeled versus Measured Performance

  • A. P. Daggett
  • , J. D. Thornley
  • , E. Yarmak
  • , J. Zarling
  • , S. Mehta

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

An LNG storage tank in Fairbanks, Alaska, is one of the first LNG storage tanks constructed on permafrost soils that has been designed as an at-grade foundation. An at-grade mat foundation was selected for this tank over the typical pile supported foundations due to the seismic hazards at the site. Above-grade construction activities for the LNG storage tank were planned to occur over an 18-month period. The construction included a large poured concrete mat foundation, which generated significant heat during curing and had the potential of impacting the underlying permafrost. In addition, the outer concrete tank shell was planned to be heated over the next year to facilitate construction of the inner steel tank. An active cooling system installed below the storage tank was designed, constructed, and used to maintain the permafrost, thereby mitigating the thermal impacts of tank construction activities. Thermal finite element modeling of the system was performed before construction to develop an adequate design. During construction, soil temperature measurements were collected at and above the level of the active cooling system to monitor system effectiveness. Comparisons between the modeled and actual soil temperatures are compared and an evaluation of the active cooling system is presented.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationCold Regions Engineering 2019 - Proceedings of the 18th International Conference on Cold Regions Engineering and the 8th Canadian Permafrost Conference
EditorsJean-Pascal Bilodeau, Daniel F. Nadeau, Daniel Fortier, David Conciatori
PublisherAmerican Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
Pages382-390
Number of pages9
ISBN (Electronic)9780784482599
DOIs
StatePublished - 2019
Externally publishedYes
Event18th International Conference on Cold Regions Engineering, ICCRE 2019 and 8th Canadian Permafrost Conference, CPC 2019 - Quebec City, Canada
Duration: Aug 18 2019Aug 22 2019

Publication series

NameCold Regions Engineering 2019 - Proceedings of the 18th International Conference on Cold Regions Engineering and the 8th Canadian Permafrost Conference

Conference

Conference18th International Conference on Cold Regions Engineering, ICCRE 2019 and 8th Canadian Permafrost Conference, CPC 2019
Country/TerritoryCanada
CityQuebec City
Period08/18/1908/22/19

Keywords

  • Ground freezing
  • LNG
  • permafrost
  • thermal modeling

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