ɹᵻsˈɜːtʃ ˌɔn ˈɔːfeɪz hɐz tʊ ɐ lˈɑːɹdʒ ɛkstˈɛnt bˌɪn mˈoʊɾᵻvˌeɪɾᵻd baɪ ðə vɚɹˈaɪəɾi ʌv ˌɛndʒɪnˈɪɹɪŋ pɹˈɑːbləmz ðɪ ˈaɪs ʃˈiːts kæn kˈɔːz ˈiː.dʒˈiː. blˈɑːkɪŋ dɹˈeɪnɪdʒᵻz ænd kˈɔːzɪŋ flˈʌdɪŋ ʌv ɹˈoʊdz.
Research on aufeis has to a large extent been motivated by the variety of engineering problems the ice sheets can cause (e.g. blocking drainages and causing flooding of roads).