Design and Application of a Flexible Enclosure for Seasonally Saline Frozen Areas in Airports

This study aimed to design and construct a flexible esnclosure structure for Ali Airport, located in China’s Northwest region, which has experienced significant tilting and deformation in the salinization and wetland zones due to salt-frost heaving and thawing settlement. To address this issue, a flexible enclosure design was applied, which incorporated cobblestone gabions, blade barbed wires, and steel angles to facilitate stress diffusion, enable adjustment of uneven deformation while maintaining overall integrity. The foundation depth of the flexible enclosure does not need to penetrate frost or saline soil layers, and the structure does not require special maintenance in the future. After 7 years of actual operation at Ali airport without any evidence of adverse effects, the new enclosure structure significantly reduced the difficulty and cost of airport operation and maintenance, demonstrating its suitability for seasonally frozen saline ground regions. The proposed design enhances anti-intrusion capabilities, improves airport safety and operation, and embodies humanistic concepts in extreme climate regions. It has the potential to be promoted and widely used in seasonally frozen saline ground regions in the future.