Rising Underground Temperatures Deforming Ground and Destabilizing Buildings in Cities Worldwide

Urban heat islands and waste heat from infrastructure are causing ground temperatures to rise significantly beneath major cities around the world.
The warming underground climates are causing clay sediments and soil layers to expand and contract, leading to shifting and deformation of the ground.
The ground movements beneath cities like Chicago are creating cracks and defects in building foundations, walls, and surrounding infrastructure.
Experts warn the "silent hazard" of underground climate change could increasingly threaten the structural integrity and stability of civil infrastructure.
Potential solutions include insulating buildings, capturing waste heat for energy, and advanced planning to mitigate subsurface temperature changes.