The construction of roads in the harsh Arctic conditions — no easy task. But scientists from the Tyumen industrial University (TIU), together with colleagues from the Institute of the Earth cryosphere of the Siberian branch of the RAS has created a heat insulating material made from natural raw materials, which will be able to cope with the main problem arising in the construction of roads, — increase in volume of soil due to freezing of contained moisture.
This process is called the heaving, and deal with it called material called granular diatomite. As stated in the press service of the University,
“Granular diatomite can be used for the construction of houses, buildings and structures, it can be used in designing nuclear power stations, space ships, that is where you need insulation and light weight, but the most important application is the improvement of quality of roads. Freezing are the source of swelling, and if not to divert the excess water, we will constantly to repair Russian roads”.
Removing excess water from the soil and road surface, can be achieved not only increase the lifespan of roads, but a significant increase in their quality, which is crucial in conditions of the far North. Work on improving roads in the Arctic is conducted in the framework of the project on increase of efficiency of development of the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation, which have been calculated for 2020. By that time it will have developed a comprehensive model of the development of remote Arctic areas, and by the end of 2017 will earn the laboratory of paleoecology and monitoring of geosystems, which has no analogues in Russia.
Based on the TASS
Scientists of Tyumen presented material for road construction in the Arctic
Vladimir Kuznetsov