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• ANNUAL REPORT 2013
(the coal quay area in Svea); an Arctic coastal structure
exposed to loads from waves and sea ice, with challeng-
ing sedimentation systems and unstable permafrost.
Three additional studies of coastal protection struc-
tures were started in 2013, where experience from site
investigations, modelling and laboratory studies will be
verified through large-scale field studies in 2014. The
projects aims at studying different techniques for Arctic
coastal erosion protection, with use of local soils that
are adapted to local conditions:
• Thermal protection
• Stabilized soils
• Geosynthetics containers filled with fines
Construction materials
A challenge when building in the Arctic is the lack of high
quality construction materials. The studies here involve
using locally available soils in building coastal protec-
tion structures in combination with geosynthetics. A
traditional type of construction would include import-
ing crushed bedrock and aggregates for concrete.
Part of the study is to reduce transportation for these
types of constructions, seeing it from environmental
and financial perspectives. The geosynthetics used
in future systems will be designed for Arctic condi-
tions. The geosynthetic fabrics will have the properties
and ability to withstand the forces from waves and ice
impact and abrasion from ice and sea bed sediments.
Other required properties are connected to hydrau-
lic processes in around the bags, where loss of soils
through the geosynthetic fabric can be a challenge.
In 2013 Gunther Kassner in and around University of
Applied Sciences, Munster, did his master’s thesis on
concrete produced with aggregates from Arctic soils, as
filling material in geosynthetic containers. The project
was done in cooperation with SINTEF and was based
on mixing and testing concrete with aggregates for the
Longyearbyen area. It also studied the properties of the
concrete under Arctic conditions. The tests were carried
out in the laboratory. Results from the study showed
poor resistance against freeze/thaw cycles as shown
in Figure 17 (Borås test). Soils in Svalbard are mostly
from sedimentary rocks where the characteristics are
low density and open structure. Most of the Svalbard
soil particles have a tendency to absorb water in the
open structure, when water is available, and crack when
temperatures are below zero.
Erosion protection in Kapp Amsterdam, Svea.
Photo: SINTEF