An Introduction to Road Design for Cold Regions

The construction of satisfactory roads and airfield runways in seasonal frost and permafrost areas is normally more difficult than in temperate regions because the imperviousness of the underlying permafrost tends to produce poor soil drainage conditions, and because disturbance of the natural surface may set in motion adjustments in thermal regime, drainage, and slope stability which may have serious and progressive consequences. This publication discusses roadway and runway design considerations for cold arctic and subarctic regions.