University Relations 202 Eielson Fairbanks, Alaska 99775-7520
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NEW ROAD CONSTRUCTION PROCESS
GETS STAMP OF APPROVAL FROM U.S. PATENT OFFICE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 17, 1998
Fairbanks, Alaska - Alaskans may soon be enjoying smoother rides and fewer car repairs thanks to Douglas J. Goering's new technique for road construction over permafrost.
The University of Alaska Fairbanks professor tied his knowledge of heat transfer research with his personal experiences of growing up in Alaska where permafrost problems plague road systems throughout the state. He and the university teamed up with funding from the Alaska Science and Technology Foundation and the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities to carry out the research that lead to a patent.
Issued in December 1997, the patent is different from previous permafrost resistant road patents. The new roadway invented by Goering uses an embankment constructed of open rock to promote cooling during winter. The result is a smoother road with fewer dips and potholes that threaten safety and cars. Less maintenance saves state dollars and frees up federal highway funds.
"UAF is conducive to new ideas and new thoughts," Goering said. Even though it is not the primary goal for the university to create patents, several people on campus have patents in a variety of fields, he said. "It establishes the credibility of UAF to do applied research. It can potentially help the university financially."
Goering's patented process works much like the heat transfer devices that prevents the Alaska oil pipeline from sinking. The thermosyphons, or finned heat exchangers, on the vertical pilings next to the pipeline help cool the permafrost during the winter and prevent the hot oil being transported through the line from heating up the permafrost. If the permafrost thaws, the entire pipeline would settle and fall.
Roadbeds are normally made of highly compacted sand, gravel and soil. But Goering's technique, dubbed Air Convection Embankment or ACE, uses large rocks allowing the air in the roadbed to circulate freely.
The circulation is most intense during the winter and helps cool the roadbed and underlying permafrost. During summer, reduced circulation helps maintain cool temperatures beneath the road, preventing settlement and cracking from thawing permafrost. Normal roads tend to sink and buckle when permafrost melts.
Currently, hot asphalt roads with a 15-year life expectancy in favorable conditions, make up the majority of Alaska's highways. Each year the asphalt cover on may of Alaska's roads needs repair because the shallow permafrost thaws and refreezes, causing the ground to shift and the asphalt to crack and settle. The only way to fix the pavement is to add hot asphalt, which is very expensive.
By avoiding the shifting and settling, roadways constructed using ACE technology will last longer and be less expensive to maintain. Goering points out, however, that the initial costs for the ACE technology will be higher than for traditional roadbeds. The new road construction is already in use on the Chena Ridge Road near Fairbanks.
Development of new, cold regions science and technology is a good example of UAF's mission. "This is a result of applied research that directly benefits the public. We hope that we can also use this technology to benefit citizens in other countries that have permafrost," said Diane McLean, Intellectual Property Program Manager at UAF. With nearly 85 percent of the ground in Alaska affected by permafrost, and nearly half of the grounds in Canada and Russia affected, the invention could save millions of dollars for several countries throughout the Circumpolar North.
CONTACTS:
Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering Douglas J. Goering (907) 474-5059 or by email: ffdjg@uaf.edu OR doug@mechengr.uafsoe.alaska.edu
Intellectual Property Program Manager Diane McLean (907) 474-7765 or by email:
fnkdm1@aurora.alska.edu
UAF NEWS RELEASES AVAILABLE ELECTRONICALLY AT:
http://www.uaf.edu/univrel/media/index.html
IS/DPD/3-17-98/98-41
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