BYRD STATION SNOW TUNNELS - SIDE-CUTTING WALL TRIMMER.

• Main Author: Sherwood,G. E.
• Other Authors: NAVAL CIVIL ENGINEERING LAB PORT HUENEME CALIF
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1967
• Subjects: Snow; Ice and Permafrost; (*UNDERGROUND STRUCTURES; *ANTARCTIC REGIONS); WALLS; MACHINES; BUILDINGS; LABOR; COSTS; MAINTENANCE; REMOVAL; *TUNNELS; Antarctic; Byrd; Byrd Station; Antarc*; Antarctica; Ice; permafrost
• Online Access: http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/AD0684445; http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=AD0684445

To prevent excessive snow-tunnel closure, equipment and techniques were developed for trimming the closure snow from the tunnel walls at Byrd Station, Antarctica. The system developed is satisfactory but time-consuming and laborious. At the present average 2-in./yr rate of closure, the walls must be trimmed at least every 3 years so that the space between the tunnel walls and the buildings does not become too restricted for the maintenance equipment. To permit less frequent clearing of the tunnel walls and to simplify the operation, a concept was developed for a side cutter which clears the tunnel walls in advance of the maintenance equipment, thus requiring no work space between the closure snow and the buildings. Based on the present rate of closure, this device could extend the frequency of clearing up to 9 years, resulting in both a labor and monetary savings over the existing system. (Author)