2 Volumes Final Proceedings - Washington 1984.pdf - IARC Research

DANIEL A. CASEY - Thank you very much, Dr. P6wWe.Ladies and gentlemen, and distinguished foreignvisitors: First, let me say that I hope you havetime to get Out and do a little playing and notonly working and studying. I knw that such isyour primary reason for being here, but Fairbanksis one of the best places to be in Alaska in thesummer. I hope that you have taken the time toschedule so= fishing, sightseeing, or a leisurelytrip outside the state at the end of your conference.On behalf of Governor Sheffield, it gives regreat pleasure to extend a welcome to the scientistsand engineers from all over the world whohave assembled here for this conference. As Commissionerof the Alaska Department of Transportationand Public Facilities, I can say my departmentdeals daily with the broad range of permafrost-relatedproblems, which affect highways,bridges, airports, and shortly, I imagine, railroads,building foundations and communicationsupportingstructures. It is also for this reasonthat the department, on behalf of the Stateof Alaska, is a co-sponsor of this conference.Because permafrost underlies more than fourfifthsof our state, we are continuously affectedby the engineering challenges presented to us bythese phenomena, and we mst rely on the other polarcountries to help UE solve these challenges.Many of these problems will be evident to those ofyou who take the local field trips or who have hadan opportunity to go to Prudhoe Bay or down theRichardson Highway. The problem are unique andfascinating; and so are some of the solutions.They sometines prove an embarrassment to the engineersof our department, as the traveling publicassumes that we have ready solutions in hand. Iam proud to note that several employees of the Departrnentof Transportation will be presenting someof these solutions in papers during this conference.Just prior to joining the Governor's cabinetearlier this year, it was my pleasure to head theAtlantic Richfield Company's construction programat Prudhoe Bay. Over the six years that I wasassociated with that effort, my understanding ofpermafrost grew tremendously. The project, whichmany of you have had or will have an opportunityto see on the North Slope, began in the classicphases that a project goes through, but compoundedby the fact that it was in the Far North. Thefirst question that we were challenged with backin 1974-1975 in the design phases was: Would itwork? If we put those big modules on pilings,would they sink into the ground or would they stayup? And, of course, some of the more subtle questionsin tern of long-term creep and road stabilityand road clearing were foremost in our minds.As everyone knows, those challenges were met,just as the challenges of road construction andbuilding construction throughout the state havebeen met. But I share with you one personal perspective,and that is that the challenge today inpermafrost engineering is not what will work, butwhat will work most efficiently. How can we dothe same things that we have now become accustomedto doing in the permafrost regions, but do themfor fewer dollara so that we can get further alongin the construction of our facilities and so theycan last a longer time.Let me close with a final comment. It hasbeen stated in the scientific community that aglobal warming trend may be at hand. It would beuseful, I think, for US practitioners if you discussedyour outlook on the global warming trend.And if Alaska is to be faced in the foreseeablefuture with such a warming trend, as wel as therest of the polar-rim countries, we need to knowthe significance of that trend and the timing ofit. As a consequence of this threat, our highways,airports, bridges, buildings, and pipelinesthat are built on permafrost may face an increasingrate of deterioration as their foundations,potentially, slowly give way. We need to knawfrom you how serious this future threat is, andhow, if at all, we should plan for that possibilityin today's designs.Again, on behalf of the Governor of Alaska,and the Alaska Department of Transportation andPublic Facilities, welcorne to the United Statesand our state.TROY L. Pdd - The next speaker might be describedas the host of the conference, inasmuch as he isDr. Jay Barton, President of the University ofAlaska Statewide System. Dr. Barton is not onlyin a position to weLcome us to the University, buthas been an integral part of the Organizing Committee,involved with the production of the con-