Geotechnical survey carried out on the top plateau of Marambio Island

Here are submitted the results of a
geotechnical survey carried out on the top plateau of Marambio (Seymour)
Island, where Marambio base and its runway are located. The present runway
frequently shows operative problems due to its surface conditions as a result
of the soil's nature. The aim of the study is to know the geotechnical
properties of the runway and their spatial and temporal variations in order to
propose an improved model. All of the region lies in the zone of continuous
permafrost, where the top soil layers are exposed to multiple freeze/thaw
cycles, which modify their mechanical properties. Thus the plateau offers
particular technical difficulties, which do not allow the application of
construction methods developed for temperate regions. During the field work
frozen and unfrozen soil samples were collected, topographic surveys and
measurements were carried out to determine the thermal regime and mechanical
properties of the active layer and permafrost table. The samples were analyzed
in laboratory to determine their granulometry and mechanical properties.
Several construction methods successfully applied in similar zones in the
Northern Hemisphere were evaluated and different possibilities for construction
of the runway analyzed. As a result two methods of construction in zone of
permafrost are proposed, one based on the use of local natural materials and
the other using an artificial coating.