anoTher breAk Through the frOzen rOcks (TATOO / 2025-2027)
The project, through a multi-scale approach, aims to determine the mechanical behavior of permafrost samples and various building materials subjected to freeze-thaw cycles. It is part of a unifying framework within the University of Savoie Mont Blanc (USMB), whose common goal is risk prevention and the eco-sustainable improvement of buildings. Due to its interdisciplinary nature, the project will improve the modeling of alpine sites already monitored for instability and optimize the quality and durability of new and existing building materials subjected to freeze-thaw cycles. In short, the project covers objectives specific to both geosciences and engineering sciences such as civil engineering and geotechnics, each addressing significant societal issues.
The project's scientific innovation lies in:
– the development of a multi-scale experimental chain, from the field to the granular assembly;
– the reproduction of small-scale damage processes and freeze/thaw cycles using analog samples collected in the field;
– the optimization of the microstructure of construction materials to improve their durability against climate hazards.
CRYO-ADAPT (2026-2029)
Mountain infrastructure (ski lifts, mountain huts, high-altitude roads) is an important component of the Alpine economy but is particularly vulnerable to climate change, generating risks of instability. This project proposes to develop an integrated approach to permafrost/infrastructure interactions, as well as to permafrost evolution in interaction zones, in order to provide managers with decision-making tools to understand and anticipate the evolution of mountain infrastructure in the context of climate change, for sustainable operational management.
The project brings together an interdisciplinary and cross-border community of research organizations, working closely with socio-economic stakeholders in mountain areas (local authorities, ski lift and mountain hut operators). The project aims to improve, through cross-analysis and the application of diverse expertise to shared sites, the characterization of permafrost/mountain infrastructure interactions, as well as the evolution of permafrost in interaction zones, with a particular focus on highly unstable terrain, which is the primary focus of the infrastructure within the Interreg France-Switzerland cooperation area. The underlying goal is to support sustainable development solutions for mountain activities in the future.