Arctic infrastructure was built on frozen ground – drones and digital twins can help spot the permafrost thaw coming
A regional permafrost map can’t tell a builder if a particular foundation or road will survive as temperatures rise. Engineers need to see beneath the surface to find the weaknesses.
Wainwright, Alaska, a town built on low-lying coastal terrain, is situated atop frozen ground containing large bodies of ice, known as permafrost. As Arctic temperatures rise at a faster rate than the global average, this hidden ice is becoming exposed and melting away. This thaw, which could cost Alaska US$37 billion to $51 billion in building and road damage, poses serious risks to infrastructure such as roads, buildings, and pipelines.
Permafrost thaw can cause roads to sink, buildings to tilt, and shorelines to retreat, leaving homes perilously close to the ocean's edge. To address these challenges, researchers have been developing methods to detect the changes in permafrost beneath the surface using drones and digital twin technology. These techniques enable engineers to see beneath the tundra and identify the weaknesses that could lead to infrastructure failure.
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