PRELIMINARY SCALE MODEL SNOWDRIFT STUDIES USING BORAX IN A WIND DUCT

Camps in areas of drifting snow, such as Antarctica, where there is no depletion of the annual supply, quickly become inundated, requiring continual digout and eventually movement of the camp. In an effort to alleviate drift problems, preliminary scale model drift studies were conducted in a wind du...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Sherwood, Gerald E.
Other Authors: NAVAL CIVIL ENGINEERING LAB PORT HUENEME CA
Format: Text
Language:English
Published: 1967
Subjects:
Snow
Ice and Permafrost
Structural Engineering and Building Technology
Test Facilities
Equipment and Methods
*POLAR REGIONS
NONDESTRUCTIVE TESTING
WIND
SHELLS(STRUCTURAL FORMS)
DRIFT
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
PREFABRICATED BUILDINGS
SCALE
CONFIGURATIONS
DUCTS
STORMS
LABORATORY EQUIPMENT
BORATES
ANTARCTIC REGIONS
SODIUM COMPOUNDS
SIMULATORS
MODEL TESTS
SNOWFALL
Antarctic
Byrd
Byrd Station
Antarc*
Antarctica
Ice
permafrost
Online Access:http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/AD0812073
http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=AD0812073
Description
Summary:Camps in areas of drifting snow, such as Antarctica, where there is no depletion of the annual supply, quickly become inundated, requiring continual digout and eventually movement of the camp. In an effort to alleviate drift problems, preliminary scale model drift studies were conducted in a wind duct using borax as a snow simulator. Models of 64-foot Jamesways were tested in various orientations and group layouts. The effect of elevating these models on snow platforms above the surrounding surface was observed, and tests were conducted on building shapes not commonly used in polar regions. It was concluded that the drift accumulation rate around the type of buildings presently in use can be reduced by orienting them 45 degrees to the wind, and by elevating them above the surrounding surface on snow platforms. It was further concluded that buildings should be constructed with as few corners as practical to reduce the rate of drift accumulation. The drift pattern around a structure near Byrd Station, Antarctica, oriented 45 degrees to the wind during the winter of 1966 verified the findings for this orientation. Based on the results of the scale model snowdrift studies, two buildings from the NCEL camp near McMurdo were placed on an elevated snow platform and oriented 45 degrees to the wind when they were relocated in December 1966. Additional scale model drift tests are planned to determine drift accumulation rates over longer periods of time.

Similar Items