Journal Home Online First Current Issue Archive For Authors Journal Information 中文版

Engineering >> 2022, Volume 14, Issue 7 doi: 10.1016/j.eng.2021.10.020

Field Observations of Near-Surface Wind Flow Across Expressway Embankment on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau

a State Key Laboratory of Frozen Ground Engineering, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
b University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
c College of Engineering, University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage, AK, 99508, USA
d College of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Jiaxing University, Jiaxing 314001, China
e School of Civil Engineering, Northwest Minzu University, Lanzhou 730024, China

Received: 2021-04-15 00:00:00 Revised: 2021-10-05 00:00:00 Accepted: 2021-10-17 00:00:00 Available online: 2022-01-25

Next Previous

Abstract

Crushed rock layers (CRLs), ventilation ducts (VDs) and thermosyphons are air-cooling structures (ACSs) widely used for maintaining the long-term stability of engineered infrastructures in permafrost environments. These ACSs can effectively cool and maintain the permafrost subgrade’s frozen state under climate warming by facilitating heat exchange with ambient air in cold seasons. As convection is a crucial working mechanism of these ACSs, it is imperative to understand the near-surface wind flow (NSWF) across a constructed infrastructure, such as an embankment. This article describes a yearlong field observation of the NSWF across an experimental expressway embankment, the first of its kind on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau (QTP). The wind speed and direction along a transect perpendicular to the embankment on both the windward and leeward sides and at four different heights above the ground surface were collected and analyzed. The results showed that the embankment has a considerable impact on the NSWF speed within a distance of up to ten times its height, and in the direction on the leeward side. A power law can well describe the speed profiles of NSWF across the embankment, with the power-law indices (PLI) varying from 0.14 to 0.40. On an annual basis, the fitted NSWF PLI far away from the embankment was 0.19, which differs substantially from the values widely used in previous thermal performance evaluations of ACSs on the QTP. Finally, the significance of the NSWF to the thermal performance of the ACSs, particularly the CRLs and VDs, in linear transportation infrastructure is discussed. It is concluded that underestimating the PLI and neglecting wind direction variations may lead to unconservative designs of the ACSs. The results reported in this study can provide valuable guidance for infrastructure engineering on the QTP and other similar permafrost regions.

Figures

Fig. 1

Fig. 2

Fig. 3

Fig. 4

Fig. 5

Fig. 6

Fig. 7

Fig. 8

Fig. 9

Fig. 10

Fig. 11

Fig. 12

Fig. 13

Fig. 14

Fig. 15

Fig. 16

References

[ 1 ] Gruber S. Derivation and analysis of a high-resolution estimate of global permafrost zonation. Cryosphere 2012;6(1):221–33. link1

[ 2 ] Hossain K. Arctic melting: a new economic frontier and global geopolitics. Curr Dev Arct Law 2017;5:40–5. link1

[ 3 ] Chong ZR, Yang SHB, Babu P, Linga P, Li XS. Review of natural gas hydrates as an energy resource: prospects and challenges. Appl Energy 2016;162:1633–52. link1

[ 4 ] Nelson FE, Anisimov OA, Shiklomanov NI. Climate change and hazard zonation in the circum-arctic permafrost regions. Nat Hazards 2002;26(3):203–25. link1

[ 5 ] Instanes A, Anisimov O, Brigham L, Goering D, Khrustalev LN, Ladanyi B, et al. Infrastructure: buildings, support systems, and industrial facilities. In: Arctic climate impact assessment. New York: Cambridge University Press; 2005. p. 907–44. link1

[ 6 ] Larsen P, Goldsmith S, Smith O, Wilson M, Strzepek K, Chinowsky P, et al. Estimating future costs for Alaska public infrastructure at risk from climate change. Glob Environ Change 2008;18(3):442–57. link1

[ 7 ] Wu QB, Niu FJ. Permafrost changes and engineering stability in Qinghai– Xizang Plateau. Chin Sci Bull 2013;58(10):1079–94. link1

[ 8 ] Ma W, Niu FJ, Mu YH. Basic research on the major permafrost projects in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Adv Earth Sci 2012;11(27):1185–91. Chinese. link1

[ 9 ] Streletskiy DA, Suter LJ, Shiklomanov NI, Porfiriev BN, Eliseev DO. Assessment of climate change impacts on buildings, structures and infrastructure in the Russian regions on permafrost. Environ Res Lett 2019;14(2):025003. link1

[10] Suter L, Streletskiy D, Shiklomanov N. Assessment of the cost of climate change impacts on critical infrastructure in the circumpolar Arctic. Polar Geogr 2019;42(4):267–86. link1

[11] Hjort J, Karjalainen O, Aalto J, Westermann S, Romanovsky VE, Nelson FE, et al. Degrading permafrost puts Arctic infrastructure at risk by mid-century. Nat Commun 2018;9(1):5147. link1

[12] Andersland OB, Ladanyi B. Frozen ground engineering. 2nd ed. New York City: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.; 2003. link1

[13] Ma W, Cheng GD, Wu QB. Construction on permafrost foundations: lessons learned from the Qinghai–Tibet Railroad. Cold Reg Sci Technol 2009;59 (1):3–11. link1

[14] Bommer C, Phillips M, Arenson LU. Practical recommendations for planning, constructing and maintaining infrastructure in mountain permafrost. Permafr Periglac Process 2010;21(1):97–104. link1

[15] Goering DJ, Kumar P. Winter-time convection in open-graded embankments. Cold Reg Sci Technol 1996;24(1):57–74. link1

[16] Cheng GD, Lai YM, Sun ZZ, Jiang F. The ‘thermal semi-conductor’ effect of crushed rocks. Permafr Periglac Process 2007;18(2):151–60. link1

[17] Niu FJ, Cheng GD, Xia HM, Ma LF. Field experiment study on effects of ductventilated railway embankment on protecting the underlying permafrost. Cold Reg Sci Technol 2006;45(3):178–92. link1

[18] Chataigner Y, Gosselin L, Doré G. Optimization of embedded inclined openended channel in natural convection used as heat drain. Int J Therm Sci 2009;48(6):1151–60. link1

[19] Jafari D, Franco A, Filippeschi S, Di Marco P. Two-phase closed thermosyphons: a review of studies and solar applications. Renew Sustain Energy Rev 2016;53:575–93. link1

[20] Wu J, Ma W, Sun Z, Wen Z. In-situ study on cooling effect of the two-phase closed thermosyphon and insulation combinational embankment of the Qinghai–Tibet Railway. Cold Reg Sci Technol 2010;60(3):234–44. link1

[21] Chotivisarut N, Nuntaphan A, Kiatsiriroat T. Seasonal cooling load reduction of building by thermosyphon heat pipe radiator in different climate areas. Renew Energy 2012;38(1):188–94. link1

[22] Mu Y, Li G, Yu Q, Ma W, Wang D, Wang F. Numerical study of long-term cooling effects of thermosyphons around tower footings in permafrost regions along the Qinghai–Tibet Power Transmission Line. Cold Reg Sci Technol 2016;121:237–49. link1

[23] Ersöz MA. Effects of different working fluid use on the energy and exergy performance for evacuated tube solar collector with thermosyphon heat pipe. Renew Energy 2016;96:244–56. link1

[24] Yan C, Shi W, Li X, Wang S. A seasonal cold storage system based on separate type heat pipe for sustainable building cooling. Renew Energy 2016;85: 880–9. link1

[25] Pei WS, Zhang MY, Lai YM, Yan ZR, Li SY. Evaluation of the ground heat control capacity of a novel air-L-shaped TPCT-ground (ALTG) cooling system in cold regions. Energy 2019;179(15):655–68. link1

[26] Junior AAM, Mantelli MBH. Thermal performance of a novel flat thermosyphon for avionics thermal management. Energy Convers Manag 2019;202:112219. link1

[27] Li X, Li J, Zhou G, Lv L. Quantitative analysis of passive seasonal cold storage with a two-phase closed thermosyphon. Appl Energy 2020;260:114250. link1

[28] Esch DC. Road and airfield design for permafrost conditions. In: Vinson TS, Rooney JW, Haas WH, editors. Roads and airfields in cold regions: a state of the practice report. New York City: American Society of Civil Engineers; 1996. p. 121–49. link1

[29] Doré G, Niu F, Brooks H. Adaptation methods for transportation infrastructure built on degrading permafrost. Permafr Periglac Process 2016;27(4):352–64. link1

[30] Mu YH, Li GY, Ma W, Song ZM, Zhou ZW, Wang F. Rapid permafrost thaw induced by heat loss from a buried warm-oil pipeline and a new mitigation measure combining seasonal air-cooled embankment and pipe insulation. Energy 2020;203:117919. link1

[31] Zhang MY, Lai YM, Yu WB, Zhang JM. Contrast experimental study on cooling effect and mechanism between closed and open riprapped-embankment. Chin J Rock Mech Eng 2005;24(15):2671–7. Chinese. link1

[32] Zhang M, Lai Y, Li S, Zhang S. Laboratory investigation on cooling effect of sloped crushed-rock revetment in permafrost regions. Cold Reg Sci Technol 2006;46(1):27–35. link1

[33] Wu QB, Cheng HB, Jiang GL, Ma W, Liu YZ. Cooling mechanism of embankment with block stone interlayer in Qinghai–Tibet railway. Sci China Ser E 2007;50 (3):319–28. link1

[34] Qian J, Yu QH, You YH, Hu J, Guo L. Analysis on the convection cooling process of crushed-rock embankment of high-grade highway in permafrost regions. Cold Reg Sci Technol 2012;78:115–21. link1

[35] Zhang M, Lai Y, Niu F, He S. A numerical model of the coupled heat transfer for duct-ventilated embankment under wind action in cold regions and its application. Cold Reg Sci Technol 2006;45(2):103–13. link1

[36] Li XY, Yu QH, You YH, Guo L. Study of air flow characteristics in ventilation duct of ventilated embankment. J Glaciol Geocryol 2016;38(5):1300–7. Chinese. link1

[37] Zhang M, Lai Y, Zhang J, Sun Z. Numerical study on cooling characteristics of two-phase closed thermosyphon embankment in permafrost regions. Cold Reg Sci Technol 2011;65(2):203–10. link1

[38] Pei W, Zhang M, Li S, Lai Y, Long J, Zhai W, et al. Geotemperature control performance of two-phase closed thermosyphons in the shady and sunny slopes of an embankment in a permafrost region. Appl Therm Eng 2017;112:986–98. link1

[39] Sun B, Yang L, Liu Q, Xu X. Numerical modelling for crushed rock layer thickness of highway embankments in permafrost regions of the Qinghai– Tibet Plateau. Eng Geol 2010;114(3–4):181–90. link1

[40] Lebeau M, Konrad JM. Non-Darcy flow and thermal radiation in convective embankment modeling. Comput Geotech 2016;73:91–9. link1

[41] Yu W, Liu W, Chen L, Yi X, Han F, Hu D. Evaluation of cooling effects of crushed rock under sand-filling and climate warming scenarios on the Tibet Plateau. Appl Therm Eng 2016;92:130–6. link1

[42] Liu M, Ma W, Niu F, Luo J, Yin G. Thermal performance of a novel crushed-rock embankment structure for expressway in permafrost regions. Int J Heat Mass Transf 2018;127(B):1178–88. link1

[43] Hou YD, Wu QB, Wang KG, Ye ZG. Numerical evaluation for protecting and reinforcing effect of a new designed crushed rock revetment on Qinghai–Tibet Railway. Renew Energy 2020;156:645–54. link1

[44] Gu W, Yu QH, Qian J, Jin HJ, Zhang JM. Qinghai–Tibet expressway experimental research. Sci Cold Arid Reg 2010;2(5):396–404. link1

[45] Hussain M. Dependence of power law index on surface wind speed. Energy Convers Manag 2002;43(4):467–72. link1

[46] Lim J, Ooka R, Kikumoto H. Effect of diurnal variation in wind velocity profiles on ventilation performance estimates. Energy Build 2016;130: 397–407. link1

[47] Kikumoto H, Ooka R, Sugawara H, Lim J. Observational study of power-law approximation of wind profiles within an urban boundary layer for various wind conditions. J Wind Eng Ind Aerodyn 2017;164: 13–21. link1

[48] Mu Y, Ma W, Niu F, Liu Y, Fortier R, Mao Y. Long-term thermal effects of air convection embankments in permafrost zones: case study of the Qinghai–Tibet Railway, China. J Cold Reg Eng 2018;32(4): 05018004. link1

[49] Chai M, Mu Y, Zhang J, Ma W, Liu G, Chen J. Characteristics of asphalt pavement damage in degrading permafrost regions: case study of the Qinghai–Tibet Highway, China. J Cold Reg Eng 2018;32(2):05018003. link1

Related Research