This article focuses on assessing the risk of icing formation on main pipelines laid in permafrost areas, using the Power Siberia gas pipeline as a case study. Icing represents a hazardous glacial phenomenon capable of causing deformations and damage to engineering structures. The study analyzes the main factors influencing the icing formation process, including sources of groundwater, soil types, climatic conditions, and the spatial positioning of pipelines relative to watercourses and other features. To evaluate the risk of icing, methods of geoinformation analysis and remote sensing (RS) were applied, utilizing data from Sentinel- 1 and Landsat 8 satellites. Key predictors of icing risk were identified and integrated into cartographic models using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). The results enabled the determination of hazard rankings for pipeline sections and the identification of priority zones for preventive engineering measures. The proposed methodology improves the accuracy of icing risk assessment and contributes to the development of effective solutions to minimize impacts on pipeline infrastructure in cryolitic zones.
Shein et al. (2025) studied this question.