BIM-CFD-based Thermal Analysis for Northern Buildings on Permafrost

Abstract

In austere environments, such as northern regions, remote communities face many challenges such as permafrost warming and significant infrastructure deficit. With the increasing demand for soil stabilization methods beneath structures, adapting building designs has become a vital requirement for a sustainable and resilient future in the northern climate. This study proposes a novel improved framework integrated building information modeling (BIM), computational fluid dynamics (CFD), and heat transfer analysis to quantify the effects of infrastructure development on permafrost ground. Results reveal that buildings have altered the ground thermal regime, causing permafrost thawing at a variable rate depending on different factors. Building clearance height above the ground, soil physical property, building floor thermal conductivity, and wind speed and direction are vital factors in this scenario. The study also found that raising buildings by one meter above the ground is recommended for the northern climatic regions as it reduces the thermal stresses on the permafrost. Further, the thermal load due to buildings generated in the present study can also be used in the structural analysis for permafrost buildings.