The Role of Stress Concentration in Slab Avalanche Release

• Published in: Journal of Glaciology
• Main Author: Sommerfeld, R. A.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 1969
• Subjects: Journal of Glaciology
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0022143000027039; https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022143000027039

Abstract Slab avalanches are shown to be released by brittle fracture. An analogy is drawn in which the snow-pack is considered to be a macroscopic, molecular model of glass. The analogy is examined qualitatively from two viewpoints: the Griffith fracture criterion, and stress concentration theory. The details of fracture propagation in a layered snow-pack are explained by means of stress concentration theory, and many details of slab avalanches are shown to be consistent with the proposed mechanism. The significance of various fracture surface markings is pointed out.