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https://hdl.handle.net/11681/5325| Title: | Remediation of Old South Pole Station using autonomous data collection and remote assessment of ground-penetrating radar |
| Authors: | Barna, Lynette A. Lever, J. H. Delaney, Allan J. |
| Keywords: | Antarctica Autonomous polar rover Blasting Buried man-made structures EPOLAR Ground-penetrating radar NSF South Pole Geophysical survey Geophysical exploration |
| Publisher: | Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (U.S.) Engineer Research and Development Center (U.S.) |
| Series/Report no.: | ERDC/CRREL ; TR-15-10 |
| Abstract: | This report describes a ground-penetrating-radar (GPR) survey assessing the effectiveness of blasting subsurface hazards at the original South Pole Station. Hidden under layers of accumulated snow, false attic structures (“top hats”) were built on top of the original buildings to displace the increasing snow depth. By causing an alteration in the snow structure through enhanced metamorphism, the presence of these structures and heat from the buildings reduced the bearing capacity of the overlying snow to support surface-based heavy vehicle. Blasting was an effective method to mitigate the subsurface safety risks posed to personnel and equipment operating in the area. The resulting blast crater naturally filled with drift snow. An autonomous polar rover was deployed and successfully conducted a post-blast GPR survey operating at ambient temperatures of −22°F or lower. Expert review of the GPR data confirmed that the targeted structures within the crater were effectively demolished. Data collected by the rover revealed two sites beyond the crater perimeter, yet within the survey area, that posed a risk to heavy vehicles. A mitigation effort included these two areas. Data collection with an autonomous rover and off-site expert data review proved to be effective tools for use at South Pole. |
| Description: | Technical Report |
| Gov't Doc #: | ERDC/CRREL TR-15-10 |
| Rights: | Approved for Public Release; Distribution is Unlimited. |
| URI: | http://hdl.handle.net/11681/5325 |
| Size: | 52 pages/4.015 Mb |
| Appears in Collections: | Technical Report |
Files in This Item:
| File | Description | Size | Format | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ERDC-CRREL-TR-15-10.pdf | 4.11 MB | Adobe PDF |  View/Open |