Advanced coupled geomechanical tool for design and performance analysis of infrastructure affected by frost action

In this project, an advanced coupled geomechanical Finite Element (FE) numerical code will be developed to address the limitations of existing modeling tools in investigating the performance of infrastructure affected by frost action. For this purpose, a novel geomechanical constitutive model will be developed in the framework of the critical-state model for rate-dependent deformations of soils subjected to frost action and permafrost degradation. The constitutive models to be developed will be implemented in an in-house FE software. The implemented model and the robustness of the multiphysics FE code will be verified/validated by experimental data as well as field measurements conducted by Manitoba Infrastructure, Manitoba Hydro, KGS Group, and other industry and provincial collaborators to monitor the integrity of infrastructure subjected to frost action. An AI-based framework to predict the ground surface temperature from the atmospheric projections and under different climate change scenarios will be employed as an add-in in the software. Furthermore, the modeling features related to popular mitigation strategies such as low-albedo surfacing and thermosiphons will be included.

Faculty Supervisor:

Pooneh Maghoul

Student:

Marziyeh Fathalikhani;Dana Amini Baneh

Partner:

GeoSustain Inc

Discipline:

Engineering - civil

Sector:

Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

University of Manitoba