Submit to Special Issue Submit Abstract to Special Issue Review for Sustainability Propose a Special Issue

Journal Browser

The 13th International Symposium on Cold Region Development Conference (ISCORD 2023)

Special Issue Editors
Special Issue Information
Published Papers

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainability in Geographic Science".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2024 | Viewed by 9656

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Chuang Lin

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

School of Transportation Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
Interests: geosynthetics; unsaturated soil; slope stability in cold regions
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof Dr. Tatsuya Ishikawa

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Laboratory of Analytical Geomechanics, Division of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University, Kita13, Nishi8, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-8628, Hokkaido, Japan
Interests: transportation geotechnics; geotechnical disaster prevention in cold regions
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Joey (Zhaohui) Yang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Department of Civil Engineering, University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage, AK 99508, USA
Interests: geotechnical earthquake engineering; frozen soil mechanics; frozen soil-structure interaction; deicing

Dr. Changlei Dai

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

School of Hydraulic and Electric-Power, Heilongjiang University, Harbin 150080, China
Interests: cold region hydrology; river ice measurement and forecast; ice cream disaster; ice and snow landscape
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

On behalf of the guest editors, we invite you to submit your manuscript to a Special Issue for “The 13th International Symposium on Cold Region Development Conference (ISCORD 2023)”, to be published in the open access journal of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). The deadline for manuscript submission is December 31, 2023.

The International Symposium on Cold Regions Development (ISCORD) is generally arranged every three years, with the main focus being on issues related to activities in cold regions; it is organized by the International Association for Cold Regions Development Studies (IACORDS). The objective of IACORDS is to promote research and higher education in cold regions. ISCORD has been successfully held 12 times and the 13th ISCORD will be held on July 14–16, 2023 in Harbin, China. The symposium provides a platform to showcase the latest developments in research, planning, design, engineering, construction, and operation in cold regions of the world.

We are calling papers on researches covering all aspects of frozen ground engineering, especially focusing on new theory, methodology, and technology satisfying the sustainability, durability, safety, and environmental protection of public facilities in cold regions of the world. To achieve the requirements, researches are initiated in the following fields: the challenge and practice of design, construction, and maintenance for infrastructures in permafrost and seasonally frozen regions; the effects of climate and environmental changes of infrastructures in cold regions under global climate changes; geological, geotechnical, and geo-environmental hazards and the corresponding remediation technology for cold regions; strategies and technologies aiming at carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals in cold regions; remote sensing technology for cold regions, etc.

We welcome papers on the following topics:

The ice silk road and social development;
Culture and education in cold regions;
Hydrology and ecology in cold regions;
Climate change and polar environment;
Engineering in cold regions;
Geological hazards in the cryosphere;
Construction technology in cold regions and artificial freezing;
Winter sports and tourism development in cold regions;
Academic communication platform/organization establishment for water resources in cold regions.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Sincerely,

Dr. Chuang Lin
Prof. Dr. Tatsuya Ishikawa
Prof. Dr. Joey (Zhaohui) Yang
Prof. Dr. Changlei Dai
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Published Papers (9 papers)

Download All Papers

Research

Jump to: Review

13 pages, 2626 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Response of Sandy Soil–Water Migration to Different Conditions under Unidirectional Freezing

by Mo Chen, Jiaheng Mei, Kai Shen and Yu Gao

Sustainability 2024, 16(9), 3597; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16093597 - 25 Apr 2024

Viewed by 349

Abstract

In order to conserve valuable soil and water resources and avoid problems related to frozen soil, it is important to study the migration of frozen soil water. A greater understanding of frozen soil–water migration can assist with sustainable development and utilization of soil and water resources in frozen areas. This study used an indoor soil column test device to conduct a one-way indoor freezing test of unsaturated soil and the response of soil sample water migration to different freezing temperatures, initial moisture contents, soil densities, freezing times, solute concentrations, and solute types. The experimental and analytical results showed that the temperature field of the soil sample could be divided into three stages: sharp cooling, slow cooling, and stability. After the soil sample had been frozen for 100 h, the temperature field stabilized. The freezing temperature, initial water content, soil density, and freezing time affected water migration in the soil sample. Lower freezing temperatures and greater initial water content resulted in higher levels of water migration. By contrast, greater soil density led to lower water migration levels. In addition, longer freezing times produced smoother soil–water migration curves. The solute concentration and solute type also affected water migration in frozen soil; the higher the solute concentration, the greater the water migration. Compared with CaCl₂, NaCl had a stronger effect, causing more water migration and leading to a higher water content. The research findings will aid further studies on soil and water utilization, environmental maintenance, and restoration in areas with seasonally frozen soil, as well as promote the sustainable development of agriculture, water conservancy project development, and the social economy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The 13th International Symposium on Cold Region Development Conference (ISCORD 2023))

► Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 3132 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Indicator Construction of Road Surface Deformation Activity in Cold Regions and Its Relationship with the Distribution and Development of Longitudinal Cracks

by Hao Wang, Lun Ji, Hongju Zhang, Yuqi Lou, Linlin Xu and Yiqiu Tan

Sustainability 2023, 15(21), 15466; https://doi.org/10.3390/su152115466 - 31 Oct 2023

Viewed by 714

Abstract

As a type of road distress in cold areas, longitudinal cracks have a high incidence and cause serious damage. The occurrence of longitudinal cracks is related to the conditions of the subgrade, pavement structure, material properties, and water temperature. The goal is to gain a deeper understanding of the occurrence mechanism of longitudinal cracks and provide references for the prevention and control of longitudinal cracks. Through the monitoring of vertical deformation, longitudinal crack distribution, and the development of typical roads in cold areas, the discrete characteristics and the variance in the distribution of deformations were analyzed. The construction of an activity index based on the variance of time-series elevation and the standard deviation of elevation change was used to describe the activity level of road sections, longitudinal lines, intervals, and longitudinal deformation. Based on the correlation between vertical deformation and longitudinal cracks on the road surface, the relationships among the activity, condition, distribution, and development characteristics of longitudinal cracks were analyzed. The results indicate that there were significant differences in the deformation activity of the road surface at different times and that the activity was greater during the freezing and thawing periods. The development and distribution characteristics of longitudinal cracks were significantly correlated with activity level. This study can help improve our understanding of the dynamic deformation characteristics of road surfaces under natural conditions and the relationship between transverse distribution differences and longitudinal cracks. It can also provide clarifications and references for the development of the roadbed, pavement structure and materials, the mechanics of the pavement structure, the emergence of distresses, and the laws of development in cold areas. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The 13th International Symposium on Cold Region Development Conference (ISCORD 2023))

► Show Figures

Figure 1

20 pages, 3366 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Analysis and Forecast of Land Use and Carbon Sink Changes in Jilin Province, China

by Mengqi Wei, Chong Du and Xuege Wang

Sustainability 2023, 15(19), 14040; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151914040 - 22 Sep 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 851

Abstract

Based on the land use data changes in Jilin Province in 2011, 2014, 2017, and 2020, this paper analyzes the land use changes during 2011–2020 through the land use transfer matrix, calculates the changes in carbon sinks of recent years, and then uses the CA–Markov model to predict the land use types and carbon sinks in Jilin Province in 2030 and discusses the driving factors. The results show that cultivated land and forest land are the two major land use types in Jilin Province, and the area of cultivated land, water bodies, and artificial ground in the province increased from 2011 to 2020; the increased area of artificial ground was mainly converted from cultivated land, accounting for 70.34% of the total converted area. The area of forest land is mainly converted along with the area of cultivated land, and grassland is mainly converted to arable areas, accounting for 84.96% of the total converted area. Water bodies and wasteland are mainly converted to cropland and artificial ground, and the area of artificial ground undergoing transfer is smaller. The change in carbon sinks mainly comes from woodland carbon sinks and grassland carbon sinks. In 2030, compared with 2020, the area of woodland, grassland, and wasteland and the corresponding carbon sink is predicted to decrease, among which the area and carbon sink of woodland decrease the most. The factors for land use type change include the slope factor, road factor, township center, and socio-economic drivers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The 13th International Symposium on Cold Region Development Conference (ISCORD 2023))

► Show Figures

Figure 1

29 pages, 9946 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Response Prediction of Asphalt Pavement in Cold Region with Thermo-Hydro-Mechanical Coupling Simulation

by Junling Si, Tatsuya Ishikawa, Daoju Ren, Kimio Maruyama and Chigusa Ueno

Sustainability 2023, 15(18), 13614; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151813614 - 12 Sep 2023

Viewed by 839

Abstract

Although the theoretical pavement structure design method (TPSDM) is widely used for designing asphalt pavements in Japan, it still exhibits certain limitations, such as not considering the variation in moduli of the base and subgrade layers due to water contents, freeze–thaw action, and stress states. This study aims to enhance Japanese TPSDM’s accuracy by considering variations in the resilient modulus of environmental impacts, pavement materials, pavement structure, and traffic load actions to accurately calculate the mechanical responses and predict pavement fatigue life. Firstly, the study develops a 3D Thermo-Hydro-Mechanical (THM) model using the finite element method (FEM) to investigate temperature and moisture distributions of the pavement with time. Then, based on the numerical results of the moisture, temperature, and stress state obtained from the THM analysis, the constant resilient modulus of the base and subgrade layers in the Japanese TPSDM is replaced with a resilient modulus that considers the stress state and the combined effects of water content fluctuations and freeze–thaw action. Finally, the fatigue life of the pavement is calculated based on the obtained mechanical response in THM analysis. The reliability and validity of the proposed fatigue life prediction method are well verified by comparing the calculated with the actual pavement fatigue life. Results indicate that the modifications improve the Japanese TPSDM by considering the environmental impacts, traffic load actions, pavement materials, and pavement structure, thereby improving the accuracy of predicting the fatigue life of asphalt pavements, particularly in cold regions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The 13th International Symposium on Cold Region Development Conference (ISCORD 2023))

► Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 14882 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Improving Railway Alignment Selection in Mountainous Areas with Complex Vegetation: A Multisource Data Landslide Identification Approach for Assisted Decision-Making Research

by Jin Qian, Lei Li, Sitong Wu, Jinting Liu and Yu Zhang

Sustainability 2023, 15(14), 11388; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151411388 - 21 Jul 2023

Viewed by 860

Abstract

In order to provide important assistance for the scientific and effective route selection of future planned railways in the research area and to quickly and accurately identify the distribution range of landslides, thereby proactively mitigating the impact of geological hazards on railways under earthquake conditions, this study aims to shift the risk threshold for geological hazards and provide a scientific basis for the accurate planning and route selection of railways in mountainous areas. Jiuzhaigou was selected as the research area and postearthquake surface deformation information in the study area was obtained through Sentinel-1 satellite radar data. Based on Sentinel-2 optical remote sensing imagery, the changes in vegetation indices in the study area before and after the earthquake were analyzed in depth. The concept of vegetation index difference was proposed as a characteristic parameter for landslide information interpretation and a method combining surface deformation information was developed for landslide information interpretation. According to this method, the study area experienced a deformation subsidence of up to 14.93 cm under the influence of the earthquake, with some areas experiencing an uplift of approximately 6.0 cm. The vegetation index difference in the research area ranged from −1.83502 to 1.45366. The total number of landslides extracted is 12.034 km² and 164 landslide points are marked, with an overall recognition accuracy of 92.6% and a Kappa coefficient of 0.876. The research results provide new research ideas for landslide information interpretation and can be used to assist in the decision-making of mountain railroad alignment options. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The 13th International Symposium on Cold Region Development Conference (ISCORD 2023))

► Show Figures

Figure 1

21 pages, 5649 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Alteration in Hydrologic Regimes and Dominant Influencing Factors in the Upper Heilong-Amur River Basin across Three Decades

by Kaiwen Zhang, Kai Ma, Jiwei Leng and Daming He

Sustainability 2023, 15(13), 10391; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151310391 - 30 Jun 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 937

Abstract

The Heilong-Amur river basin (HARB) is the largest transboundary river in Asia and is primarily located in its cold region. With global warming and geopolitical cooperation strengthening between Russia and China, the hydrology change and water security risks are receiving increasing attention. This study utilized the linear regression, Mann–Kendall, and cumulative anomaly methods to analyze changes observed in the upper HARB’s streamflow and water levels over 30 years. The collation of outcomes derived from the methods mentioned above, the indicators of the hydrological alterations process, and the range of variability approach method (IHA–RVA), coupled with results gleaned from the double cumulative curve method, facilitate a thorough evaluation of the perturbations in hydrologic indicators, as well as the impacts of anthropogenic activities. The results showed that the overall hydrological regimes of both streamflow and water levels at the Luoguhe (LGH), the Shangmachang (SMC), and the Kalunshan (KLS) displayed a mild decrease from 1988 to 2017. The streamflow decreased by 58%, 42%, and 38%, and water levels decreased by 48%, 53%, and 59%, respectively, at each station after the mutations. LGH station recorded the highest decrease rate in streamflow at 8.28 × 10⁸ m³/a, whereas the steepest rate of decline in water levels was observed at KLS station at 0.05 m/a. Despite the decreasing trend in the high pulse count of streamflow across the three stations, a slight increase in the high pulse duration of streamflow was noted at SMC and KLS. Precipitation changes were the primary driving force behind runoff alterations, contributing 62%, 84%, and 90% at LGH, SMC, and KLS, respectively, significantly higher than the contribution from anthropogenic activities (38%, 16%, and 10%, respectively). These findings also underscore the suitability of the methodologies employed in this study for application in cold regions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The 13th International Symposium on Cold Region Development Conference (ISCORD 2023))

► Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 10602 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Simulation and Analysis of the Dynamic Characteristics of Groundwater in Taliks in the Eruu Area, Central Yakutia

by Miao Yu, Nadezhda Pavlova, Changlei Dai, Xianfeng Guo, Xiaohong Zhang, Shuai Gao and Yiru Wei

Sustainability 2023, 15(12), 9590; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15129590 - 14 Jun 2023

Viewed by 1078

Abstract

The perennially unfrozen zones (taliks) in the Eruu area of central Yakutia have a complex stratigraphic structure, and the dynamic characteristics of groundwater in this region have been insufficiently studied. This study analyzed the results of the explorations and geophysical studies conducted by the Melnikov Permafrost Institute of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Science. In addition, we simulated and analyzed the dynamic characteristics of groundwater in the area based on hydro-meteorological data, snow data, and remote sensing data. During the process, the dynamic changes in the attributes of aquifers due to the seasonal freeze–thaw processes of soils, including the active layer, were also taken into account. The results showed the following: (1) According to the analysis of the measured data on water levels in hydrogeological observation well 14E/2014, the difference between the simulated and measured values of groundwater levels in monitoring wells for over 99% of the measurements was less than 0.1 m. The average difference between the measured (excluding missing values) and simulated values of groundwater level in the monitoring wells was 0.028 m/d. (2) The annual average water level in the study area declined. The simulated value dropped at a rate of 0.10 m/a, with only a gap of 0.01 m/a with the measured value. Meanwhile, the simulated water head was greatly influenced by the terrain, especially in the central area, where the head decreased rapidly from the perimeter toward the lakes (8.9 m/km on average). (3) From 1 September 2014 to 31 August 2015, the mean value of the simulated discharge in the study area was 3888.39 L/d, which was in line with the results of previous monitoring (the average flow was 4147.20 L/d and 3715.20 L/d in 2014 and 2015, respectively). This study can provide a reference for the reasonable exploitation and utilization of groundwater under the influence of the distribution of perennially unfrozen zones, or taliks, and provides an effective three-dimensional modeling method for quantifying the analysis of groundwater dynamics in permafrost regions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The 13th International Symposium on Cold Region Development Conference (ISCORD 2023))

► Show Figures

Figure 1

11 pages, 3227 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Asphalt Pavement Base Layers on Transverse Shrinkage Cracking Characteristics

by Mingming Xing, Hongwei Yang, Zhenguo Zhao and Tengjiang Yu

Sustainability 2023, 15(9), 7178; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15097178 - 26 Apr 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1346

Abstract

Transverse shrinkage cracking is considered to be one of the main factors leading to the degradation of sustainable service performance for asphalt pavement, but the effect of base layers on it is rarely studied. To investigate the effect of asphalt pavement base layers on transverse shrinkage cracking characteristics, this study analyzed and evaluated it through the test section data. The transverse shrinkage cracking test section data of four different asphalt pavement base layers were compared, and the variation characteristics of transverse shrinkage cracking under the influence of the base layer types and temperature were analyzed. Based on the conventional characteristics, the concept and calculation method of cracking area ratio (CAR) was proposed, and its rationality and accuracy were proved by calculation. It has been found that the CAR can reflect the longitudinal shrinkage performance of asphalt pavement. The shrinkage rate of a semi-rigid base is larger, while the shrinkage performance of a flexible base is better, and the shrinkage performance of the whole pavement is not affected by a small amount of cement. The research provides a practical basis for improving the anti-cracking performance of asphalt pavement and helps to enhance its sustainable service performance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The 13th International Symposium on Cold Region Development Conference (ISCORD 2023))

► Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

14 pages, 1419 KiB

Open AccessReview

Effective Solutions to Ecological and Water Environment Problems in the Sanjiang Plain: Utilization of Farmland Drainage Resources

by Zijie Sang, Ge Zhang, Haiqing Wang, Wangyang Zhang, Yuxiu Chen, Mingyang Han and Ke Yang

Sustainability 2023, 15(23), 16329; https://doi.org/10.3390/su152316329 - 27 Nov 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 900

Abstract

The Sanjiang Plain stands as a pivotal grain-producing region in China. Faced with population growth and the imperative of ensuring food security, the rapid expansion of agricultural land in the Sanjiang Plain has led to escalating ecological and water-environmental challenges, hindering the sustainable development of regional agriculture. This research aims to explore and propose practical measures for utilizing agricultural drainage resources to address the ecological and water-environmental issues resulting from agricultural expansion in the Sanjiang Plain, striving to achieve harmonious and sustainable economic and environmental growth. The discussion revolves around the potential alleviation of water quality, water quantity, and ecological health issues in the Sanjiang Plain through the proposed approach. Considering regional characteristics, the focus is on potential environmental drawbacks resulting from the improper application of the method. Building on these findings, effective strategies are presented to enhance the systematic operation of agricultural drainage resource utilization in the region. In conclusion, addressing ecological and water-environmental challenges stemming from local agricultural development is imperative for the Sanjiang Plain to realize sustainable development for the economy and the environment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The 13th International Symposium on Cold Region Development Conference (ISCORD 2023))

► Show Figures

Figure 1

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

The 13th International Symposium on Cold Region Development Conference (ISCORD 2023)

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editors

Special Issue Information

Published Papers (9 papers)

Research

Review

Further Information

Guidelines

MDPI Initiatives

Follow MDPI