A Mechanical Test Procedure for Avalanche Snow

• Published in: Journal of Glaciology
• Main Authors: Mccabe, S. L., Smith, F. W.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 1978
• Subjects: Earth-Surface Processes; Journal of Glaciology
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0022143000013964; https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022143000013964

Abstract The design, construction, and testing of a portable constant strain-rate testing machine for determining the mechanical behavior of avalanche snow is described. The machine is intended for use in determining the stress strain time behavior of low-density natural snows in the field. A technique for making direct measurements of strain in the snow sample is described and stress-strain curves are presented for strain-rates ranging from 0.5 to 5.0 x 10 -5 s -1 . The densities of the snow samples tested range from 186 to 335 kg m -3 Ultimate-strength data and relaxation curves arc also presented.