Government of Northwest Territories
Tulita, Northwest Territories
Ice and Cold Regions Engineering
Government of Northwest Territories
Tulita, Northwest Territories
Ice and Cold Regions Engineering
The Government of Northwest Territories requested an evaluation of ice forces and high ice levels for input to the detailed design of a bridge over the Great Bear River. This permanent bridge was needed because ice bridges over the river were becoming less reliable due to warmer conditions in the arctic. The bridge site is located near the confluence with the Mackenzie River, so NHC specified ice forces on the bridge piers both from upstream ice in the Great Bear River and downstream ice from the Mackenzie River. NHC also determined that the highest ice levels at the bridge would result from ice jams forming downstream on the Mackenzie River. This finding was important because other bridges on tributaries to the Mackenzie, which were designed without considering these Mackenzie ice jams, have since needed to be raised after ice impacts occurred.