Roadway and railway embankments in seasonally changing climates, i.e., where freeze and thaw cycles are likely to occur, are prone to different kinds of foundation and structural damage. This includes accelerating consolidation rate, soil stiffness reduction, and permafrost damage in permafrost regions. As it is vital to maintain the safety and serviceability of embankments, several risk mitigation measures are adopted to maintain the integrity of the foundation soils and embankment bodies. These measures include, but are not limited to, thermosyphons, air convection sections, and increasing albedo. As climate change impacts are further maximized, especially in cold regions with high seasonal temperature variability, new strategies need to be developed to cope with these changes. Some of these strategies are geared toward providing minimal intervention with the climate change process so as to minimize the resources allocated to preserving the current conditions while maintaining the resilience of infrastructures. In this paper, we present a systematic review of the current state of practice of embankments built in seasonally changing climates. In addition, we discuss the outstanding challenges pertaining to fundamental understanding and modeling tools of thermal-mechanical interactions. Finally, we discuss some of the implications of climate change impacts on embankment design and possible risk mitigation measures.

来源平台：PROCEEDINGS OF THE CANADIAN SOCIETY FOR CIVIL ENGINEERING ANNUAL CONFERENCE, VOL 1, CSCE 2023