Snow fracture in relation to slab avalanche release: critical state for the onset of crack propagation
The failure of a weak snow layer buried below cohesive slab layers is a necessary, but insufficient, condition for the release of a dry-snow slab avalanche. The size of the crack in the weak layer must also exceed a critical length to propagate across a slope. In contrast to pioneering shear-based a...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:08551f21149945a5a953cdb57aa25f44 2023-05-15T18:32:30+02:00 Snow fracture in relation to slab avalanche release: critical state for the onset of crack propagation J. Gaume A. van Herwijnen G. Chambon N. Wever J. Schweizer 2017-01-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-217-2017 https://doaj.org/article/08551f21149945a5a953cdb57aa25f44 EN eng Copernicus Publications http://www.the-cryosphere.net/11/217/2017/tc-11-217-2017.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0416 https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0424 1994-0416 1994-0424 doi:10.5194/tc-11-217-2017 https://doaj.org/article/08551f21149945a5a953cdb57aa25f44 The Cryosphere, Vol 11, Iss 1, Pp 217-228 (2017) Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geology QE1-996.5 article 2017 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-217-2017 2022-12-31T09:20:57Z The failure of a weak snow layer buried below cohesive slab layers is a necessary, but insufficient, condition for the release of a dry-snow slab avalanche. The size of the crack in the weak layer must also exceed a critical length to propagate across a slope. In contrast to pioneering shear-based approaches, recent developments account for weak layer collapse and allow for better explaining typical observations of remote triggering from low-angle terrain. However, these new models predict a critical length for crack propagation that is almost independent of slope angle, a rather surprising and counterintuitive result. Based on discrete element simulations we propose a new analytical expression for the critical crack length. This new model reconciles past approaches by considering for the first time the complex interplay between slab elasticity and the mechanical behavior of the weak layer including its structural collapse. The crack begins to propagate when the stress induced by slab loading and deformation at the crack tip exceeds the limit given by the failure envelope of the weak layer. The model can reproduce crack propagation on low-angle terrain and the decrease in critical length with increasing slope angle as modeled in numerical experiments. The good agreement of our new model with extensive field data and the ease of implementation in the snow cover model SNOWPACK opens a promising prospect for improving avalanche forecasting. Article in Journal/Newspaper The Cryosphere Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles The Cryosphere 11 1 217 228 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geology QE1-996.5 |
spellingShingle |
Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geology QE1-996.5 J. Gaume A. van Herwijnen G. Chambon N. Wever J. Schweizer Snow fracture in relation to slab avalanche release: critical state for the onset of crack propagation |
topic_facet |
Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geology QE1-996.5 |
description |
The failure of a weak snow layer buried below cohesive slab layers is a necessary, but insufficient, condition for the release of a dry-snow slab avalanche. The size of the crack in the weak layer must also exceed a critical length to propagate across a slope. In contrast to pioneering shear-based approaches, recent developments account for weak layer collapse and allow for better explaining typical observations of remote triggering from low-angle terrain. However, these new models predict a critical length for crack propagation that is almost independent of slope angle, a rather surprising and counterintuitive result. Based on discrete element simulations we propose a new analytical expression for the critical crack length. This new model reconciles past approaches by considering for the first time the complex interplay between slab elasticity and the mechanical behavior of the weak layer including its structural collapse. The crack begins to propagate when the stress induced by slab loading and deformation at the crack tip exceeds the limit given by the failure envelope of the weak layer. The model can reproduce crack propagation on low-angle terrain and the decrease in critical length with increasing slope angle as modeled in numerical experiments. The good agreement of our new model with extensive field data and the ease of implementation in the snow cover model SNOWPACK opens a promising prospect for improving avalanche forecasting. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
J. Gaume A. van Herwijnen G. Chambon N. Wever J. Schweizer |
author_facet |
J. Gaume A. van Herwijnen G. Chambon N. Wever J. Schweizer |
author_sort |
J. Gaume |
title |
Snow fracture in relation to slab avalanche release: critical state for the onset of crack propagation |
title_short |
Snow fracture in relation to slab avalanche release: critical state for the onset of crack propagation |
title_full |
Snow fracture in relation to slab avalanche release: critical state for the onset of crack propagation |
title_fullStr |
Snow fracture in relation to slab avalanche release: critical state for the onset of crack propagation |
title_full_unstemmed |
Snow fracture in relation to slab avalanche release: critical state for the onset of crack propagation |
title_sort |
snow fracture in relation to slab avalanche release: critical state for the onset of crack propagation |
publisher |
Copernicus Publications |
publishDate |
2017 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-217-2017 https://doaj.org/article/08551f21149945a5a953cdb57aa25f44 |
genre |
The Cryosphere |
genre_facet |
The Cryosphere |
op_source |
The Cryosphere, Vol 11, Iss 1, Pp 217-228 (2017) |
op_relation |
http://www.the-cryosphere.net/11/217/2017/tc-11-217-2017.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0416 https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0424 1994-0416 1994-0424 doi:10.5194/tc-11-217-2017 https://doaj.org/article/08551f21149945a5a953cdb57aa25f44 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-217-2017 |
container_title |
The Cryosphere |
container_volume |
11 |
container_issue |
1 |
container_start_page |
217 |
op_container_end_page |
228 |
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1766216621370638336 |