Why in Yakutsk most houses are built on stilts

Yakutia is a harsh place. Sharply continental climate, temperature drops from -60 in winter to +35 degrees in summer. The annual temperature range is more than 100 degrees. This climate affects buildings: residential buildings, shops, sports facilities, cultural monuments.

Yakutsk is located in the permafrost zone - the upper part of the earth's crust is constantly frozen. Permafrost thickness is 200-250 meters. In summer, it thaws a layer of soil up to 5 meters deep. When thawing, the ice in the soil becomes water, which reduces the bearing capacity of the soil. This can lead to a violation of the foundation of the building or to its collapse. For the same reason, all communications, pipes and heating mains pass above the ground.

To solve this problem, houses on stilts have been built in Yakutsk since 1935. Initially, piles with a length of 4-5 meters were used, but this is not enough to ensure the reliability of the foundation. More than 500 buildings in Yakutsk are in a deformed state because of this. Now, in Yakutsk, houses are being built on piles with a depth of 6 to 12 meters and more. The piles are installed below the thawing level, which gives the structure strength.

Most buildings rise a meter above the ground. This is done so that the heat from the building does not thaw the soil in winter. In the summer, on the contrary, the surface under the house is ventilated and cooled. This is aided by wind, shade or special cooling units. The first floor of the building is technical. There are communications at home. People live on the second floor and above.

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