Development of Ground Compaction Technology for Plant Construction in Freezing Conditions of the Arctic Region
Development of Ground Compaction Technology for Plant Construction in Freezing Conditions of the Arctic Region
- Ground Compaction and Assessment Technology in a Subzero Environment (-10°C)
▲ Department of Future & Smart Construction Research
The Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology (KICT) has developed ground compaction technology that ensures stability even in freezing temperature environments as cold as -10°C for energy resource plant construction in Arctic regions.
Extraction of unconventional oil in Arctic regions began after 2000, and recoverable reserves of this resource are estimated to be approximately 9 trillion barrels, more than twice the amount of conventional oil, which stands at around 4 trillion barrels. Notably, Canada's oil sands account for 71.6% of the world's total reserves, with daily production reaching approximately 3 million barrels.
The Athabasca region in Canada, which contains substantial oil sand deposits, is located at a high latitude, with long winters and temperatures dropping to approximately -20°C during the winter months. The ground undergoes cycles of freezing and thawing, causing repeated surface heaving and settlement. Notably, oil sand regions contain significant amounts of organic soil that is highly sensitive to freeze-thaw cycles, resulting in greater surface heaving and settlement compared to typical ground conditions.
To address these challenges, the KICT's Northern Infrastructure Specialization Team (led by Senior Fellow Kim Young-seok) has independently developed ground compaction technology that effectively compacts organic soil even in freezing environments, along with a ground behavior simulation model that takes freeze-thaw cycles into consideration.
To assess the freezing-temperature compaction characteristics of organic soil, the team conducted laboratory compaction tests in a freezer chamber capable of temperature control down to -20°C. Canadian organic soil conditions were replicated by mixing silica sand with Canadian organic soil. During this process, researchers developed laboratory compaction test equipment capable of generating compaction curves at -4°C.
In addition, a full-scale field compaction test site (8 m width × 8 m length × 3 m depth) was established at the KICT's SOC Demonstration Research Center in Yeoncheon-gun, Gyeonggi Province, Korea. The team replicated Canadian organic soil conditions during winter and evaluated surface heaving and long-term settlement characteristics caused by freeze-thaw cycles in freezing environments reaching approximately -10°C. In conjunction with laboratory compaction tests, field compaction techniques for achieving proper compaction levels in organic soil were verified. Long-term monitoring continues to analyze behavior under repeated freeze-thaw cycles.
The team also established a ground behavior simulation model that considers freeze-thaw cycles. This model applies actual measured temperature data to simulate freeze-thaw cycles in backfilled ground, and evaluates earth pressure and displacement. The model was verified by comparing field compaction test measurements with the results of numerical analyses. It offers the advantage of 100% replication of field freezing environment conditions, as it simulates ground freeze-thaw cycles using actual temperature measurements. The research team plans to conduct a field demonstration at the KICT's SOC Demonstration Research Center to verify the performance and practical application of the developed technology. This field demonstration is expected to enable performance evaluations under various conditions that can completely replicate Canadian field conditions by directly burying commercial oil pipelines and establishing systems capable of creating freezing environment conditions. Furthermore, through an international joint study with the Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM) and the Canadian resource development company PetroFrontier Corp., the feasibility of demonstrating the developed technology at a field site in Canada is currently under review.
The developed technology enables ground compaction even in sub-zero temperatures, securing sufficient construction periods in regions with long winters like the Arctic. It is also expected to minimize surface displacement due to freeze-thaw cycles in regions with abundant organic soil, such as Ukraine's Black Earth (Chernozem) region. "Through this research, we have developed a core technology that will secure construction timeframes for earthwork during winter seasons, which will aid Korean companies attempting to pioneer new markets in future Arctic plant construction," commented KICT President Park Sun-kyu. "As we continue our research and development efforts, we will strive to share these technologies with the related institutions and companies in Korea."
This research was supported by the Korea Agency for Infrastructure Technology Advancement (KAIA) with funding from the Korean Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT).
