Snowdrift and Foundation Studies for the New South Pole Station.

• Main Authors: Brier,Frank W., Paige,Russell A.
• Other Authors: NAVAL CIVIL ENGINEERING LAB PORT HUENEME CALIF
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1972
• Subjects: Snow; Ice and Permafrost; (*SNOW; *ANTARCTIC REGIONS); (*FOUNDATIONS(STRUCTURES); SNOW); MODEL TESTS; COMPRESSIVE PROPERTIES; LOADS(FORCES); CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS; NAVAL RESEARCH; SETTLEMENT(STRUCTURAL); SNOWDRIFTS; Antarctic; South Pole; Antarc*; Ice; permafrost; South pole
• Online Access: http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/AD0753192; http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=AD0753192

A two part study was conducted to determine the snowdrift characteristics of the new South Pole Station and properties of snow foundations at the South Pole. Snowdrift characteristics were studied using 1:150 scale models in a wind cut and 1:10 scale models in the field. From the scale model tests, areas of high and low snow accumulation rates were determined for a static undisturbed state in the vicinity of the station. The physical properties of natural and compacted snow were determined for the South Pole and three load settlement tests were conducted on different foundation materials. The load settlement tests showed that the settlement rate of footings on natural snow is several times greater than footings on compacted snow. (Author)