Impact of rising temperatures on urban underground infrastructure: A state-of-the-art review
Jun Cheng Kho, Wyn Shern Loke, Ze Zheng Wong, Mavinakere Eshwaraiah Raghunandan
Abstract
Climate change-driven rising temperatures, along with rapid urbanization and limited environmental rejuvenation can significantly exacerbate the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect, exacerbating challenges to the urban ecosystems and society. Urban subsurface infrastructure hosting essential utilities is also severely affected. Notwithstanding this, they contribute to increasing underground temperatures as well. Despite the threat, systematic studies ascertaining the impact of rising temperatures on subsurface infrastructure are still primitive. This review addresses this knowledge gap, deliberating on the state-of-the-art multifunctional underground resources in energy, water, utilities, and soil. These resources are mostly deemed vulnerable, potentially jeopardizing their serviceability, functioning, and reliability. Discussions highlight compounding and cascading effects due to changing climate and rising temperatures, showing possibilities of higher risk to existing infrastructure. Review outcomes also indicate that the current legislation and policies, though sufficient in everyday scenarios, may be incapable of fostering, planning, operating, and managing subsurface resources under rising temperatures. Integrated underground urban space utilization aided with technology and early warning systems can mitigate and adapt towards a higher subsurface temperature environment and its consequences. The discussion and potential strategies presented in this review are intended to promote more holistic, strategic, and comprehensive management of subsurface resources and promote aspects of climate-resilient infrastructure as an early preparedness for changing climate and climate action (UN-SDG13).