In 2021 when the Fagradalsfjall Volcano in Iceland began erupting, experts came together to build defensive barriers using dirt in order to protect the civilians living in the area.
The Icelandic Department of Civil Protection and Emergency Management built barriers around the clock in order to curb the lava flow. Fjola Gudrun Sigtryggsdottir of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NTNU, conducted a field study to determine if these methods could be applied in future. The main thing we took away from the field experiment is that it’s possible to control lava flows to a certain extent. In a recent press release, Sigtryggsdottir said that it was worth experimenting to protect civil society and infrastructure.
Field Study on a Volcano Active
It had been almost 800 years since the Fagradalsfjall erupted. The volcano started showing seismic activity and erupted on March 20, 2021. Construction crews built earthen barriers, rock dams and other protective measures to protect infrastructure and civilians. Sigtryggsdottir conducted a study on the effectiveness of this barrier during that time. The study published in Bulletin of Volcanology states that the goal of a volcanic eruption is to delay the lava flow as much as possible and preserve time. The study concluded that the crews in this instance delayed the lava for 16 days. Barriers and dams diverted lava towards a safer direction.
Building Volcanic Protection
The Icelandic Department of Civil Protection and Emergency Management was discussing mitigation plans before the eruption. The area had already experienced seismic activity including over 40,000 earthquakes before the eruption of the Fagradalsfjall. The DCPEM officials, along with Sigtryggsdottir and researchers from University of Iceland, the Icelandic Meteorological Office and Verkis consulting firms brainstormed ways to protect the area from lava flows.
For several months the volcano continued to erupt, before slowing down in September 2021. Researchers then tested various methods including short-term and long-term solutions. The crews built three embankment walls made from dirt and stones, with the tallest one being about 26 feet high. They also constructed two 1110-foot barriers to divert the flow of lava in another direction.
Protecting the future
Information gained during this field research would be useful when the volcano erupted again in 2023. Using a guide created by Sigtryggsdottir officials put in place proper protections and safeguarded Grindavik as well as a nearby geothermal plant.
These protections could have prevented a lava flow from affecting the town. Sigtryggsdottir stated in a recent press release that if the barrier had not been constructed, many of the homes would be now under lava. The landscape surrounding the volcano is changing. A new fissure opened recently near Grindavik. The eruption lasted only a short time, but nothing was damaged. As things change, there is still monitoring, but better safety measures are in place.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding the eruption, there are ways to divert and delay lava flow. Sigtryggsdottir stated in a recent press release that there are a number of challenges but infrastructure and civil society can be safeguarded. We must take advantage and have faith when the chance arises.