Laboratory investigation of screw micropiles as foundations in the Arctic

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The infrastructure of Canada's Arctic regions is largely dependent on the performance of deep foundations. The traditional foundations used in the Arctic may pose several risks, such as the excessively large long-term settlement and the vulnerability of the foundations in warm permafrost during the summer. ARKK Engineering Corp., a consulting company located in Alberta, has a strong interest in re-designing foundations that are suitable for the Arctic. As a consultant, ARKK can choose the most appropriate foundation type for the Arctic. ARKK has chased several emerging foundation types in the past decades and suggest that the screw micropile may offer a viable solution to the foundations in the Arctic. However, before this emerging pile type could be practically used, the concerns with the long-term settlement and the engineering behaviour in warm permafrost should be addressed.ARKK and researcher at the University of Alberta therefore propose to investigate the performance of screw micropiles in the Arctic by conducting laboratory tests. The objectives of the proposed research are: 1) to investigate the long-term creep settlement of the pile; and 2) to study the efficiency of the pile as a ground freezing tool in warm permafrost during the summer. The proposed research will train two graduate students in geotechnical engineering. Findings of the project will significantly leverage ARKK's knowledge in cold regions foundation design and bring a well-engineered foundation type to Canada's Arctic.