Fracture Mechanical Models of Dry Slab Avalanche Release
Abstract Experimental evidence shows that snow is a pressure-sensitive, dilatant, strain-softening material in slow, constant-rate shear deformation. When strain-softening initiates in a weak layer underneath a snow slab, avalanche release is hypothesized to be possible with or without loading. Spec...
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Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press (CUP)
1980
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0022143000011096 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022143000011096 |
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crcambridgeupr:10.1017/s0022143000011096 2024-03-03T08:45:57+00:00 Fracture Mechanical Models of Dry Slab Avalanche Release McClung, David M. 1980 http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0022143000011096 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022143000011096 en eng Cambridge University Press (CUP) Journal of Glaciology volume 26, issue 94, page 517 ISSN 0022-1430 1727-5652 Earth-Surface Processes journal-article 1980 crcambridgeupr https://doi.org/10.1017/s0022143000011096 2024-02-08T08:42:50Z Abstract Experimental evidence shows that snow is a pressure-sensitive, dilatant, strain-softening material in slow, constant-rate shear deformation. When strain-softening initiates in a weak layer underneath a snow slab, avalanche release is hypothesized to be possible with or without loading. Specifically, two cases are discussed : (i) a shear-crack-like disturbance can initiate by formation of a slip surface in the weak layer and traverse the layer by a self-propagating progressive failure with or perhaps without loading; (ii) a self- propagating shear instability can develop when a region of the weak layer is driven past peak shear strength by loading. These cases represent the extremes in weak-layer deformations under which strain-softening failures might precipitate avalanche release. For these cases the associated fracture sequences, fracture geometry, time scale of release, and temperature- related effects are consistent with the known facts of dry-slab avalanche release. Article in Journal/Newspaper Journal of Glaciology Cambridge University Press Journal of Glaciology 26 94 517 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Cambridge University Press |
op_collection_id |
crcambridgeupr |
language |
English |
topic |
Earth-Surface Processes |
spellingShingle |
Earth-Surface Processes McClung, David M. Fracture Mechanical Models of Dry Slab Avalanche Release |
topic_facet |
Earth-Surface Processes |
description |
Abstract Experimental evidence shows that snow is a pressure-sensitive, dilatant, strain-softening material in slow, constant-rate shear deformation. When strain-softening initiates in a weak layer underneath a snow slab, avalanche release is hypothesized to be possible with or without loading. Specifically, two cases are discussed : (i) a shear-crack-like disturbance can initiate by formation of a slip surface in the weak layer and traverse the layer by a self-propagating progressive failure with or perhaps without loading; (ii) a self- propagating shear instability can develop when a region of the weak layer is driven past peak shear strength by loading. These cases represent the extremes in weak-layer deformations under which strain-softening failures might precipitate avalanche release. For these cases the associated fracture sequences, fracture geometry, time scale of release, and temperature- related effects are consistent with the known facts of dry-slab avalanche release. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
McClung, David M. |
author_facet |
McClung, David M. |
author_sort |
McClung, David M. |
title |
Fracture Mechanical Models of Dry Slab Avalanche Release |
title_short |
Fracture Mechanical Models of Dry Slab Avalanche Release |
title_full |
Fracture Mechanical Models of Dry Slab Avalanche Release |
title_fullStr |
Fracture Mechanical Models of Dry Slab Avalanche Release |
title_full_unstemmed |
Fracture Mechanical Models of Dry Slab Avalanche Release |
title_sort |
fracture mechanical models of dry slab avalanche release |
publisher |
Cambridge University Press (CUP) |
publishDate |
1980 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0022143000011096 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022143000011096 |
genre |
Journal of Glaciology |
genre_facet |
Journal of Glaciology |
op_source |
Journal of Glaciology volume 26, issue 94, page 517 ISSN 0022-1430 1727-5652 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1017/s0022143000011096 |
container_title |
Journal of Glaciology |
container_volume |
26 |
container_issue |
94 |
container_start_page |
517 |
_version_ |
1792501662173102080 |