A phenomenon known as “underground climate change” can lead to damage of building foundations and civil infrastructure, according to a researcher at Northwestern University.
When the ground gets hotter, it can expand and contract, causing foundations to move and sometimes crack. The Northwestern study focused on Chicago, which has a predominately clay subsurface that can contract when heated.
The concern is not limited to the Windy City, though, as many other urban zones contain fine-grained soils that are vulnerable to such deformations. Cities are more likely than rural areas to feel the effects of underground climate change because construction materials trap heat that is transferred below ground. The research team found temperatures under the densely developed Chicago Loop were often 10 degrees Celsius warmer than those under Grant Park.
Underground climate change will not cause sudden failure like a building collapse, rather it is a slow process that degrades structures over the years. To counteract this trend, building teams can reduce the amount of heat entering the ground by installing thermal insulation.
Related Stories
Student Housing | Mar 13, 2023
University of Oklahoma, Missouri S&T add storm-safe spaces in student housing buildings for tornado protection
More universities are incorporating reinforced rooms in student housing designs to provide an extra layer of protection for students. Storm shelters have been included in recent KWK Architects-designed university projects in the Great Plains where there is a high incidence of tornadoes. Projects include Headington and Dunham Residential Colleges at the University of Oklahoma and the University Commons residential complex at Missouri S&T.
Seismic Design | Feb 27, 2023
Turkey earthquakes provide lessons for California
Two recent deadly earthquakes in Turkey and Syria offer lessons regarding construction practices and codes for California. Lax building standards were blamed for much of the devastation, including well over 35,000 dead and countless building collapses.
Sustainability | Feb 9, 2023
New guide for planning, designing, and operating onsite water reuse systems
The Pacific Institute, a global nonpartisan water think tank, has released guidance for developers to plan, design, and operate onsite water reuse systems. The Guide for Developing Onsite Water Systems to Support Regional Water Resilience advances circular, localized approaches to managing water that reduce a site’s water footprint, improve its resilience to water shortage or other disruptions, and provide benefits for local communities and regional water systems.
Concrete | Jan 24, 2023
Researchers investigate ancient Roman concrete to make durable, lower carbon mortar
Researchers have turned to an ancient Roman concrete recipe to develop more durable concrete that lasts for centuries and can potentially reduce the carbon impact of the built environment.
Sustainability | Jan 23, 2023
How regenerative design is driving AEC industry innovation
HOK's Sean Quinn and Microsoft's JoAnn Garbin discuss the next step of sustainability: regenerative design.
Multifamily Housing | Jan 19, 2023
Editorial call for Multifamily Affordable Housing project case studies - no cost to submit!
Building Design+Construction will feature a roundup of "Multifamily Affordable Housing" projects on BDCnetwork.com.
Products and Materials | Jan 18, 2023
6 innovative products for multifamily developments
Here are six innovative products for various multifamily developments, including a condominium-wide smart electrical system, heavy-duty aluminum doors, and prefabricated panels.
Adaptive Reuse | Jan 12, 2023
Invest in existing buildings for your university
According to Nick Sillies of GBBN, students are increasingly asking: "How sustainable is your institution?" Reusing existing buildings may help answer that.
Sponsored | Resiliency | Dec 14, 2022
Flood protection: What building owners need to know to protect their properties
This course from Walter P Moore examines numerous flood protection approaches and building owner needs before delving into the flood protection process. Determining the flood resilience of a property can provide a good understanding of risk associated costs.
Green | Dec 9, 2022
Reaching carbon neutrality in building portfolios ranks high for organizations
Reaching carbon neutrality with their building portfolios ranks high in importance among sustainability goals for organizations responding to a Honeywell/Reuters survey of senior executives at 187 large, multinational corporations. Nearly nine in 10 respondents (87%) say that achieving carbon neutrality in their building portfolio is either extremely (58%) or somewhat (29%) important in relation to their overall ESG goals. Only 4% of respondents called it unimportant.