Published on: 2026-06-11
Source: Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering –
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Elena Kurakina, Andrey Zazykhin and Evgeny Korolev
On June 10–11, SPbGASU held the IV International Scientific and Practical Conference “Transport Accessibility of the Arctic: Networks and Systems,” dedicated to the issues of developing transport infrastructure, engineering technologies, and personnel support of Arctic territories.
Association of efforts for the development of the Arctic
The organizers of the conference were the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering, and the Institute of Road Traffic Safety of SPBGASU.
The main goal of the conference was to find solutions for pressing issues concerning the development of the Arctic zone, to unite the efforts of the scientific community and practitioners, as well as to exchange research results in the field of improving transport accessibility of Arctic regions and developing transport networks and systems resilient to climatic impacts.Among the key tasks of the forum are the transport support for the development of mineral deposits, the development of Arctic infrastructure, the introduction of innovative technologies and equipment, training of personnel for work in the northern region, as well as the development of international cooperation and the consideration of economic aspects of Arctic development.
The chairman of the organizing committee of the conference was the dean of the automobile and road faculty of SPbGASUAndrey Zazikin.The deputy chairman of the organizational committee became the head of the Department of Ground Transport Engineering Machines of SPBGASUElena Kurakina.The vice-rector for scientific activities of SPbGASU took part in the work of the scientific and honorary committeesEvgeny Korolev,Director of the Institute of Road Traffic Safety SPBGASUSergey Evtyukovand other university representatives.
Development of transport requires a comprehensive approach
At the plenary session, participants discussed current trends in the development of the Arctic transport system. The report presented the results of studies devoted to the development of the Northern Sea Route, transport support for remote territories, the organization of northern supplies, improvements in transport and logistics systems, and the introduction of new technologies for the operation of equipment in extreme climatic conditions.
Special attention was paid to the issues of comprehensive development of transport infrastructure. Participants noted that further development of the Arctic is impossible without effective interaction of maritime, river, aviation, railway, and automobile transport. During the discussion, approaches to the formation of a trans-Arctic transport corridor were considered, which should ensure sustainable connections between the Arctic regions and the main industrial centers of the country.
A separate block of presentations was dedicated to the issue of northern delivery. The speakers presented modern approaches to the organization of multimodal transportation, involving the use of several types of transport for delivering goods to hard-to-reach areas. The emphasis was on the inevitability of introducing digital tools for managing logistics processes, which allows increasing the reliability of transport system and reducing the risks of disruptions during goods delivery.
Innovation and personnel
Significant interest among participants was aroused by reports dedicated to the specialized technology for operation in the conditions of the Far North. The possibilities of applying a single technology capable of functioning on permafrost areas, snow-covered tundra, and in regions with insufficiently developed road infrastructure were considered. Issues of increasing the reliability of vehicles, their adaptation to low temperatures, and expanding the possibilities of use within the framework of ensuring transport accessibility of remote territories were discussed.
Three thematic sections worked at the conference: “Improving the accessibility of Arctic regions,” “Innovative technologies and equipment,” and “Training personnel for the Arctic.” This format allowed uniting representatives of various scientific fields and addressing the problems of mastering the Arctic zone in an interdisciplinary context.
Within the section dedicated to innovative technologies and equipment, studies related to ensuring the reliability of technologies and infrastructure under low temperature conditions were presented. Young researchers and graduate students presented the results of work in the field of geotechnical construction, diagnostics of power installations, analysis of technical readiness of machines, reduction of vibration load on technology operators, and improvement of maintenance technologies for construction equipment.
One of the promising directions has become the development of methods for acoustic diagnosis of road construction machinery engines. The presented method allows evaluating the technical condition of power units based on the characteristics of the sound signal and can be used directly in field conditions, which is especially important for remote Arctic territories.
Special attention was paid to the issues of operation of construction equipment and engineering communications in the northern region. Participants discussed methods for improving the efficiency of cleaning concrete mixing equipment, as well as modern technologies for servicing pipelines, aimed at enhancing reliability and reducing operational costs.
Speakers at the section noted that the development of the Arctic requires not only the development of transport infrastructure but also the creation of new engineering solutions that ensure the reliable operation of equipment, buildings, and structures under conditions of permafrost, low temperatures, and considerable remoteness from industrial centers.
At the conclusion of the conference, its participants confirmed the high relevance of issues related to the transport accessibility of the Arctic and the necessity for further development of scientific research in this area. The presented reports and research results will be published in the conference proceedings with indexing in RSCI, and the best works are recommended for publication in leading peer-reviewed scientific journals.
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