New ASCE Publication Provides Historical Observations of Electrical Phenomena

Reston, Va. – Widespread in the Northern Hemisphere, permafrost is found in areas where temperature rarely rises above freezing. Understanding the impact of construction on frozen ground and how that affects activities like mining excavation and building new infrastructure as well as improving the existing facilities is critical. Electrical Phenomena During Freezing of Water and Soils provides historical observations and data collected into one concise volume. Early observations of the generation of charges and electrical potentials developed during freezing of water, dilute aqueous solutions, and moist soils are reviewed.

Beginning with a description of the early observations of natural phenomena, such as lightning and thunderstorms, and the effects of these on aircraft flying through thunderclouds, the book describes the early laboratory measurements carried out to understand the physical processes behind charge separation and generation of high voltages at the freezing interface. The review concludes with examples of field studies and proposes the need to continue the studies to use the method as a geophysical tool to study the freezing of ground in cold regions.

Encouraging future researchers to continue this work in a more systematic way, this publication is useful for undergraduate and graduate students who wish to pursue a career in cold regions engineering, and for scientists and engineers working on the design of infrastructure in cold regions.

To purchase online, visit the ASCE Bookstore

Limited review copies are available for book reviews. Please contact Leslie Connelly, lconnelly@asce.org.