In Nunavik, permafrost degradation is now inevitable and it will eventually become problematic for the integrity of some transportation infrastructures owned by Ministère des Transports du Québec (MTQ). This study was initiated by the MTQ in order to adapt its transportation infrastructures to the new climatic reality. The purpose of this study is to identify the consequence of global warming on infrastructures, to review all mitigation techniques that can be used to counter permafrost degradation under transportation infrastructures and to carry out a performance assessment of the Nunavik runways and access roads since their construction in order to determine the appropriate adaptation techniques to reduce permafrost degradation. The assessment made it possible to identify six unstable runways and two unstable access roads. However, three airports in Nunavik need to be monitored very closely : Kangirsuk, Salluit and Tasiujaq. Three mitigation methods are proposed to reduce permafrost degradation at Nunavik transportation infrastructures : heat drain, air convective embankment and reflective surface. For the covering abstract of the conferenec see ITRD number E211521.
Samenvatting