Chicago May Be Slowly Sinking Because of 'Underground Climate Change'

[Judi Lynn]

The ground beneath the Windy City is shifting as heat escapes from buildings and transit systems, posing a threat to infrastructure, a study finds

Margaret Osborne
July 20, 2023 4:29 p.m.

Chicago May Be Slowly Sinking Because of ‘Underground Climate Change’

Researchers have discovered that a phenomenon called “underground climate change” is causing the land beneath downtown Chicago to slowly sink. The buildings aren’t in any immediate danger of collapsing, and the trend poses no short-term threat to human life. But the study suggests temperature hikes beneath residents’ feet could create challenges for the lasting durability of structures in cities across the United States.

“Underground climate change is a silent hazard,” Alessandro Rotta Loria, an engineer at Northwestern University who led the research, says in a statement. “The ground is deforming as a result of temperature variations, and no existing civil structure or infrastructure is designed to withstand these variations.”

Underground climate change, sometimes also called “subsurface heat islands,” is caused by heat radiating into the earth from man-made structures, such as buildings and underground transportation. It’s a different phenomenon than climate change in the atmosphere, which comes from greenhouse gases caused by burning fossil fuels.

As the ground temperature gets warmer, Chicago’s clay soil contracts, which could lead to cracks in building foundations and even distortion or tilting of the structures. Previous research has found that the surface underneath cities warms by about 0.18 to 4.5 degrees Fahrenheit per decade, according to the statement.

More:
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/chicago-may-be-slowly-sinking-because-of-underground-climate-change-180982573/

[bucolic_frolic]

1. Underground caverns from oil and water extraction. Warmer climate more rain.

Don't know where it leads. More susceptible to earthquakes?