If the permafrost thaws, the entire pipeline would settle and fall. Roadbeds are normally made of highly compacted sand, gravel and soil. But Goering's technique, dubbed Air Convection Embankment or ACE, uses large rocks allowing the air in the roadbed to circulate freely. The circulation is most intense during the winter and helps cool the roadbed and underlying permafrost. During summer, reduced circulation helps maintain cool temperatures beneath the road, preventing settlement and cracking from thawing permafrost.
Normal roads tend to sink and buckle when permafrost melts.
Currently, hot asphalt roads with a 15-year life expectancy in favorable conditions, make up the majority of Alaska's highways. Each year the asphalt cover on may of Alaska's roads needs repair because the shallow permafrost thaws and refreezes, causing the ground to shift and the asphalt to crack and settle. The only way to fix the pavement is to add hot asphalt, which is very expensive. By avoiding the shifting and settling, roadways constructed using ACE technology will last longer and be less expensive to maintain. Goering points out, however, that the initial costs for the ACE technology will be higher than for traditional roadbeds.