Atka-Bay, Antarctica:German Antarctic Research Station
Disciplines
-
Industrial Engineering
Companies
Dorsch International Consultants
Client
Federal Ministry for Research and Technology, Bonn
Duration
From 1978 to 1981
Project Activities
- Site selection expedition with icebreaker and helicopters
- Planning of research station
- Engineering for snow mechanics
- Detailed design of shelter structure with facilities and equipment
- Preparation of tender documents
- Construction supervision
Contact
Dorsch International Consultants GmbH
München (Headquarters)
80687 München
Germany
Phone: +49 89 5797-0
Fax: +49 89 5797-800
E-Mail: info@dorsch.de
Description
The research station, exposed to snow storms and temperatures of as low as -60°C, has been designed to accommodate 30 scientists and technicians. The station has been founded on floating shelf ice. All living quarters, laboratories and facilities for research, power system with waste heat recovery, heating, water supply, waste water disposal, fire protection and operation are located in insulated compartment units inserted into steel tube shelter structures.
The compartment units were largely prefabricated and in part already fully equipped in order to save assembly time on site. For larger rooms, which were For larger rooms that were assembled from several cells, it was possible to use a partially assembled element construction method.
To protect them from the weather and to prevent them from melting into the snow, a sort of second skin was laid in the form of corrugated metal tubes with a large cross-section. corrugated metal tubes with a large cross-section. Due to their almost elliptical shape, these tubes, which have been tried and tested in Antarctica, absorb the wind pressure and the high snow load expected later.