 Human activity has already caused significant changes in Earth's atmosphere. Now, climate change is moving underground. A new study has shown that the heat emitted by subsurface infrastructure such as transport systems, tunnels and basements is causing the ground beneath urban areas to move – risking damage to building foundations. The research, led by Northwestern University's Professor Alessandro Rotta Loria, used Chicago as a 'living laboratory', deploying a network of more than 150 temperature sensors across the city centre and in nearby Grant Park. 'If you think about basements, parking garages, tunnels and trains, all of these facilities continuously emit heat,' said Professor Rotta Loria. 'In general, cities are warmer than rural areas because construction materials periodically trap heat derived from human activity and solar radiation and then release it into the atmosphere. That process has been studied for decades. Now, we are looking at its subsurface counterpart, which is mostly driven by anthropogenic activity.' Previous research has shown temperatures beneath cities can increase by 0.1C to 2.5C per decade. In Chicago, data showed temperatures beneath the city centre, known as 'the Loop', were often 10C higher than beneath Grant Park, which is removed from waste heat sources. Using 3D computer modelling, Professor Rotta Loria found the data collected was consistent with simulations of how ground temperatures have changed since 1951, when the city's subway system was completed. Chicago's Grant Park borders Lake Michigan (Picture: Getty) 'Underground climate change is a silent hazard,' said Professor Rotta Loria. 'The ground is deforming as a result of temperature variations, and no existing civil structure or infrastructure is designed to withstand these variations. Although this phenomenon is not necessarily dangerous for people's safety, it will affect the normal day-to-day ope){kind=link}
NEWS… BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT
Human activity has already caused significant changes in Earth’s atmosphere. Now, climate change is moving underground.
A new study has shown that the heat emitted by subsurface infrastructure such as transport systems, tunnels and basements is causing the ground beneath urban areas to move – risking damage to building foundations.
The research, led by Northwestern University’s Professor Alessandro Rotta Loria, used Chicago as a ‘living laboratory’, deploying a network of more than 150 temperature sensors across the city centre and in nearby Grant Park.
‘If you think about basements, parking garages, tunnels and trains, all of these facilities continuously emit heat,’ said Professor Rotta Loria.