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Elevated Station Design for the South Pole Redevelopment Project
at Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station
3. Old Casey Station (66° 17’S, 110° 32’ E)
Although a number of Antarctic coastal stations have employed the idea of a pier-foundation to allow for the seasonal scouring and control of drifting snow, the first emergence of a truly “elevated” station was Australia’s Casey Station. Located on the shore of the Bailey Peninsula in Vincennes Bay, Casey Station was constructed to replace Wilkes Station, approximately two kilometers away, and became operational in 1969. Originally a U.S. station, Wilkes had been constructed in a topographic hollow. Over the years, snow that didn’t melt built up around the buildings and eventually buried them. Accordingly, one of the objectives of the Casey Station design team was to permanently control the problem of drifting snow, and therefore, not repeat the experience at nearby Wilkes.
The design of the new 20 person station by the Australian Antarctic Division staff involved a long row of thirteen inexpensive modular buildings elevated 3 meters above the surface on scaffold piping. As a result of wind tunnel testing during the design, the row of buildings was oriented at right angles to the prevailing wind and connected together by a single walkway covered by semi-circular corrugated galvanized steel siding on the windward face. The visual effect was that of an elevated tunnel, rounded on the windward side and squared off on the leeward side. Winds were channeled below the elevated structure and effectively scoured the snow away, eliminating drifting problems as hoped.
Now referred to as “Old Casey Station”, it was replaced in 1989, after 20 years of effective service and scouring, by the current New Casey Station. Interestingly, New Casey Station is constructed on-grade, in the traditional cold regions manner. Snow drifting at the new station has been controlled by careful placement of the buildings in non-drift high areas and periodic grooming. The unique design of Old Casey was not repeated, but not because it hadn’t performed as planned. It had actually performed so well that it was never necessary for personnel to expose themselves to the elements. This luxury was later perceived as a possible cause of lower productivity.
Proceed to next section: 4. Filchner Station
Table of Contents
1. Abstract
2. Background
3. Old Casey Station
4. Filchner Station
5. Halley V
6. A New Vision for Amundsen-Scott Station
7. Amundsen-Scott Station Design Features
8. Conclusion
9. References
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