15 December 2010 Interesting People I've Met In Antarctica - Lynette Barna

Lynette has been my roommate for about a week here in McMurdo. She has a fascinating job that has allowed her to travel to many exciting places. A special thank you to Lynette for agreeing to write this short piece for my journal!

I am a research civil engineer for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL), in Hanover, New Hampshire. I have been working at CRREL for over 15 years. During this time I have studied the durability of materials exposed to effects of cold weather, such as freeze-thaw cycling and thaw-weakening. I continue to study the impacts of cold weather on concrete materials and looking for ways to improve both the construction practices and performance of concrete in cold regions. During the past 1-1/2 years, my area of research has also included evaluating structures and facilities in Polar Regions.

In April 2010, I traveled to Summit Station, Greenland to conduct an infrared (IR) survey on an elevated structure constructed on a permanent snow field. Buildings constructed on the snow surface quickly become buried due to snow accumulation, blowing and drifting snow. For this reason, they are elevated above the snow surface. Energy efficiency is very important in extremely cold climates. The IR survey allows us to see weaknesses in the building envelope indicating heat loss. Once these locations are identified, they may be repaired to improve the energy efficiency of the building and reduce energy costs.

This is my second season in Antarctica that included a 3-week trip to South Pole. There, one of the projects I was involved in was collecting measurements of the utility tunnels, located roughly 40 ft below the snow surface, where the temperature was –50°F. These tunnels house the lines for the water supply and waste from the South Pole Station.

Lynette Barna, Research Civil Engineer, U.S. Army Engineer Research & Development Center (ERDC), Cold Regions Research & Engineering Laboratory (CRREL), 72 Lyme Road, Hanover, New Hampshire 03755, http://www.crrel.usace.army.mil