Average temperatures over Canada increased by 1.5℃ between 1950 and 2010, with an increasing number of extreme warm days and decreasing number of cold nights [1]. Across Canada, springtime snow cover declined up to 34% from 1972 to 2010 [1]. Behind these phenomena is climate change which has been impacting engineering practice. During most engineering work, including civil, environmental, hydrotechnical etc., the impacts of climate change should be considered.
Climate change is inevitable, so engineers have to change their techniques to adapt or mitigate it. Climate change can impact engineering project planning, design, maintenance, restoration and rehabilitation. The frequency of extreme weather events, such as floods and hurricanes, increases because of climate change, which should be considered when making engineering plans to achieve a long design life. The climate change risk in engineering projects should be minimized. Therefore, risk analysis during the design process is very important. Some statistical methods such as the Observational Method can be used for risk assessment to quantify uncertainties, and then manage risk for engineering designs and planning [2]. The designs should meet future needs as well as the uncertainty of future climate. Design codes, standards and regulations will be updated with climate change risk. For example, after analyzing climate data, flood plain mapping and return frequencies of flood for hazard-prone areas, the flood defences may be designed for the one-in-10-year event, instead of one-in-100-year event. Some completed projects need to be adjusted to meet future demands as well. For example, the design capacities of some municipal stormwater management systems should increase, because of the increasing stormwater runoff caused by more frequent and intense storms and more extreme flooding events [3].
Climate change also plays an important role in infrastructure maintenance, restoration and rehabilitation. Extreme weather and global warming could lead to degradation and interruption of infrastructure systems [2]. This needs to be addressed. For example, Pavement Management System may need to be applied to maintain good pavement conditions which can be affected by stormwater or snow, engineers have to address permafrost degradation of the Tibetan Plateau caused by global warming to manage the bearing capacity of the ground, and some residential buildings should be rebuilt after a flood.
In addition to adapting to climate change, many engineering companies focus on sustainability during their work to slow the rate of this phenomenon. Transportation simulation models are used in many road or transit projects to test different infrastructure or policy scenarios. Based on the model results, a recommended plan with less vehicle emissions could be developed. There is more research about the relationship between engineering design and Greenhouse Gas emissions as well, such as the impacts of road geometric design on carbon dioxide emissions.
Climate change is a challenge that every engineer has to consider. We have to change our practice to guarantee good public service, safety and health. Adaption and mitigation are important to address climate change and the impacts brought by climate change may provide opportunities to develop engineering innovations.
References
[1] Government of Canada, “Canada in a changing climate: sector perspectives on impacts and adaptation,” Government of Canada, 2014.[2] Committee on Adaptation to a Changing Climate, “Adapting Infrastructure and Civil Engineering Practice to a Changing Climate,” American Society of Civil Engineers, 2015.
[3] EPA, “Climate Adaptation and Stormwater Runoff,” September 2016. [Online]. Available: https://www.epa.gov/arc-x/climate-adaptation-and-stormwater-runoff.
