Q4, DECEMBER 2020 The American Society of Civil Engineers «ó«¼Ã¢«Ãثâ¼Ü¹ dŚĞYƵĂƌƚĞƌůLJEĞǁƐůĞƩĞƌŽĨƚŚĞŵĞƌŝĐĂŶ^ŽĐŝĞƚLJŽĨŝǀŝůŶŐŝŶĞĞƌƐůĂƐŬĂ^ĞĐƟŽŶ Quarterly Highlights * Nuiqsut Airport Improvements Juneau Branch, and on the Alaska Four years ago, we released our first water and sewage systems, our volun- * Future Engineer from University of Alaska Section board for the past 3 years. Report Card for Alaska’s Infrastructure, teers advocate for infrastructure that is * Life Member Recognition Outside of my duties with ASCE, I also which was a several year-long undertak- essential for maintaining and enhancing * Outstanding Leaders in Research, Aca- volunteer on multiple nonprofit boards ing with hundreds of hours volunteered the quality of life for all Alaskans. I hope demics, and Technology and currently also serve as the presi- to complete. That same group of hard- everyone is as excited as I am to see the * Dale Nelson Memorial Civil Engineering dent of the aquatics GSC board. In my working volunteers, along with several final product this coming year. Scholarship Recipients free time, I love spending time with my new volunteers and experts in their The Alaska Section of ASCE is working on * Job Opportunities kids, hiking, hunting, and fishing. I look fields are diligently working on the 2021 many other great projects, and I can’t forward to hearing from you, as we Report Card for Alaska’s Infrastructure. wait to share as they come to fruition. I strive to provide outstanding pro- Our ASCE Region 8 Governor Tor An- would like to thank my board, past board Change on the Horizon grams, volunteer opportunities, and derzen, P.E., F.ASCE, and I are co- members, and branch boards for their As we are all feeling the fatigue that is recognition to our members. ASCE chairing and overseeing the development support during these challenging times. a result of the COVID pandemic, we has brought me many great memories of this highly rewarding program. The Without their dedication, and the support can also see light at the end of the over the years, and this year will be no 2017 Report Card has been used as an of our members across the state, we tunnel, with hopes of a more normal different. advocacy tool highlighting the im- cannot be the strong organization that 2020-2021 ASCE year. As the new I would like to also acknowledge Alaska portance of maintaining our existing we are today. I thank each and every ASCE-Alaska Section President I would Section Past-President, David Gamez, infrastructure, and planning and funding one of you that are ASCE members be- like to introduce myself to those that I and the 2019-2020 Board who worked for the future. The hard work of our cause we could not do this work without haven’t had the chance to meet or talk diligently toward progressing our volunteers, who have poured through you. to. I am a registered Professional mission and programs over the past thousands of pages of publicly available Civil Engineer and Project Manager year. These programs are at the core reports, are directly responsible for I hope you all had a wonderful holiday with DOWL in Juneau Alaska, specializ- of what we stand for, and I look for- advocating for infrastructure that bene- season and wish you a Happy New Year! ing in small corridor civil infrastruc- ward to their development for years to fit all Alaskans. From funding for de- ture and utilities. I have been actively come. Thank you, David, and the mem- ferred maintenance, the need for a involved with ASCE over the years, bers of the board for your continued functional and sustainable ferry system, Justin Kanouse, P.E., M.ASCE having served as the President of the service. and repairs and replacement of aging ASCE Alaska Section President, ‘20-’21 Nuiqsut Airport Improvements—See Page 2 Photo: HDL Engineering Consultants Photo: DOT&PF Infrastructure Spotlight Sample of ice beneath on Alaska’s North Slope. Some communi- ates sequencing challenges. the Nuiqsut Runway ties, such as Anaktuvik Pass, are located In Nuiqsut, the depth of excavation pro- Nuiqsut Airport Improvements in mountainous areas and have access to hibited aircraft from landing near the talus deposits that are adequate for Over 200 communities in Alaska are not work and precluded the preferred solu- processing into suitable, angular surfac- connected to the state’s road system and tion using half-width construction. The ing material. Coastal communities tend to rely upon the local airport for transporta- designed sequence called for half-length have access to beach deposits along the tion outside their community. This is true construction of the runway and required shore. The beach deposit gravels typical- for most arctic communities where the escorted access for vehicles along the Photo: HDL Engineering Consultants ly have a small percentage of the materi- airport provides the lifeblood of goods, taxiway and runway shoulder. al greater 1-inch in diameter. The parti- transportation, and emergency medical many arctic runways. Warming climate services. The airports must function year conditions threaten much of the arctic cles are rounded and the deposits typi- Additional Challenges: In addition to the cally produce surfacing material that is round and support air traffic that ranges infrastructure including runways. In challenges noted above that are typical from smaller Cessna 208 Caravans to the Nuiqsut, the runway embankment was sandy with lower gravel and fines con- for many arctic runways, the Nuiqsut tent. occasional large cargo plane. typically 4-feet to 6-feet thick and under- Airport Improvements project also over- came challenges with schedule and fund- lain by silty permafrost that contained For interior communities like Atqasuk ing. The project was separated into three layers of ice. Photo 1 illustrates a sample that can’t be accessed by barge or ice different contracts: electrical upgrades, recovered from a layer of ice beneath the roads, the cost of importing gravel can gravel procurement, and resurfacing. runway. be as high as $620 per ton. Techniques To protect the permafrost, the design like blending of imported and existing During construction, concerns arose included 4 inches of rigid insulation with an gravel reduced the volume of import via about the ability of the surface course to R-Value of 4.5 (°F·ft2·hr/Btu) per inch. The barge for the Wainwright airport resur- support traffic along portions of the facing. An industry ice road connects Resurfacing arctic runways presents a insulation was placed in 2 layers with the runway, taxiway, and apron. An alterna- unique set of challenges that includes seams staggered between layers. While not Nuiqsut to the Dalton highway in late tive design was developed for mixing the winter and this provided access to a permafrost soil conditions, a short (<100 typical of all arctic construction, wicking dust palliative (EK35) into the upper 3- day) construction season where the tem- geotextile was included in the design for gravel pit approximately 30 miles away. inches of the gravel rather than applying Even with the relatively easy access perature rarely gets above 50 degrees the Nuiqsut airport runway to improve it to the surface. This alternative was Fahrenheit, limited gravel resources, and drainage. The wicking geotextile also helped compared to some communities, the used along a portion of the runway. The gravel surfacing costed over $100 per lack of cross-wind runways that makes protect the insulation from damage during resulting surface was firm and stable construction sequencing difficult. This fill placement. The insulation was placed 24 ton for the Nuiqsut Airport Improve- and some pilots have compared it to ments. article shares some of the common chal- inches below the top of the runway surface landing on asphalt. to allow a thicker lift of fill prior to compac- lenges with construction of arctic runway Construction Sequencing: Most arctic Overall, the project addressed many of tion. Photo 2 illustrates insulation and and presents the solutions used for the runways have one runway and lack paral- the challenges commonly faced in arctic geotextile placement. Nuiqsut Airport Improvements project. lel taxiways. However, because the air- runways and overcame the unique prob- Permafrost Soils: Permafrost soils that Gravel Resources: Gravel is a precious ports provide the only access to many lems specific to Nuiqsut. The airport was arctic communities, they need to remain are generally ice rich and susceptible to resource for many communities in the open throughout construction and will thaw settlement are present beneath arctic and particularly communities located open throughout construction and cre- serve the community for years to come. Photo: HDL Engineering Consultants My favorite community/ASCE project to get caught up in what could have been, and Student Member Spotlight was:_Concrete Canoe, for the following to be able to move on and make the most of Future Engineer from the University of Alaska—Fairbanks reason: My favorite ASCE project is Con- every opportunity. I binged Star Trek over the piano, and have been since elementary crete Canoe. Despite not being able to summer with my family, so it’s fresh on my school. I strive to do well in my classes, compete in Seattle with my team last year mind. My dad is also a civil engineer, and is but being a total night owl, morning classes due to The Plague, I learned a lot and made my main inspiration for giving engineering a are my nemesis. I always try to make time some new friends as well. Last year was go. for friends and family, and a few times a my first time working with concrete in My favorite civil engineering course is, or semester I make the trek back to the Valley general, and the thrill of potentially pad- has been (also describe why): My favorite to spend time with my parents, my sister, dling in a handmade boat made from con- civil engineering course is Surveying.