Modeling snow slab avalanches caused by weak-layer failure – Part 1: Slabs on compliant and collapsible weak layers
Dry-snow slab avalanche release is preceded by a fracture process within the snowpack. Recognizing weak-layer collapse as an integral part of the fracture process is crucial and explains phenomena such as whumpf sounds and remote triggering of avalanches from low-angle terrain. In this two-part work...
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fttriple:oai:gotriple.eu:oai:doaj.org/article:a4b25ea10642442d9b75cd4363c1e7fa 2023-05-15T18:32:16+02:00 Modeling snow slab avalanches caused by weak-layer failure – Part 1: Slabs on compliant and collapsible weak layers P. L. Rosendahl P. Weißgraeber 2020-01-01 https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-115-2020 https://www.the-cryosphere.net/14/115/2020/tc-14-115-2020.pdf https://doaj.org/article/a4b25ea10642442d9b75cd4363c1e7fa en eng Copernicus Publications doi:10.5194/tc-14-115-2020 1994-0416 1994-0424 https://www.the-cryosphere.net/14/115/2020/tc-14-115-2020.pdf https://doaj.org/article/a4b25ea10642442d9b75cd4363c1e7fa undefined The Cryosphere, Vol 14, Pp 115-130 (2020) envir geo Journal Article https://vocabularies.coar-repositories.org/resource_types/c_6501/ 2020 fttriple https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-115-2020 2023-01-22T18:19:20Z Dry-snow slab avalanche release is preceded by a fracture process within the snowpack. Recognizing weak-layer collapse as an integral part of the fracture process is crucial and explains phenomena such as whumpf sounds and remote triggering of avalanches from low-angle terrain. In this two-part work we propose a novel closed-form analytical model for a snowpack under skier loading and a mixed-mode failure criterion for the nucleation of weak-layer failure. In the first part of this two-part series we introduce a closed-form analytical model of a snowpack accounting for the deformable layer. Despite the importance of persistent weak layers for slab avalanche release, no simple analytical model considering weak-layer deformations is available. The proposed model provides deformations of the snow slab, weak-layer stresses and energy release rates of cracks within the weak layer. It generally applies to skier-loaded slopes as well as stability tests such as the propagation saw test. A validation with a numerical reference model shows very good agreement of the stress and energy release rate results in several parametric studies including analyses of the bridging effect and slope angle dependence. The proposed model is used to analyze 93 propagation saw tests. Computed weak-layer fracture toughness values are physically meaningful and in excellent agreement with finite element analyses. In the second part of the series (Rosendahl and Weißgraeber, 2020) we make use of the present mechanical model to establish a novel failure criterion crack nucleation in weak layers. The code used for the analyses in both parts is publicly available under https://github.com/2phi/weac (last access: 6 January 2020) (2phi, 2020). Article in Journal/Newspaper The Cryosphere Unknown The Cryosphere 14 1 115 130 |
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envir geo P. L. Rosendahl P. Weißgraeber Modeling snow slab avalanches caused by weak-layer failure – Part 1: Slabs on compliant and collapsible weak layers |
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description |
Dry-snow slab avalanche release is preceded by a fracture process within the snowpack. Recognizing weak-layer collapse as an integral part of the fracture process is crucial and explains phenomena such as whumpf sounds and remote triggering of avalanches from low-angle terrain. In this two-part work we propose a novel closed-form analytical model for a snowpack under skier loading and a mixed-mode failure criterion for the nucleation of weak-layer failure. In the first part of this two-part series we introduce a closed-form analytical model of a snowpack accounting for the deformable layer. Despite the importance of persistent weak layers for slab avalanche release, no simple analytical model considering weak-layer deformations is available. The proposed model provides deformations of the snow slab, weak-layer stresses and energy release rates of cracks within the weak layer. It generally applies to skier-loaded slopes as well as stability tests such as the propagation saw test. A validation with a numerical reference model shows very good agreement of the stress and energy release rate results in several parametric studies including analyses of the bridging effect and slope angle dependence. The proposed model is used to analyze 93 propagation saw tests. Computed weak-layer fracture toughness values are physically meaningful and in excellent agreement with finite element analyses. In the second part of the series (Rosendahl and Weißgraeber, 2020) we make use of the present mechanical model to establish a novel failure criterion crack nucleation in weak layers. The code used for the analyses in both parts is publicly available under https://github.com/2phi/weac (last access: 6 January 2020) (2phi, 2020). |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
P. L. Rosendahl P. Weißgraeber |
author_facet |
P. L. Rosendahl P. Weißgraeber |
author_sort |
P. L. Rosendahl |
title |
Modeling snow slab avalanches caused by weak-layer failure – Part 1: Slabs on compliant and collapsible weak layers |
title_short |
Modeling snow slab avalanches caused by weak-layer failure – Part 1: Slabs on compliant and collapsible weak layers |
title_full |
Modeling snow slab avalanches caused by weak-layer failure – Part 1: Slabs on compliant and collapsible weak layers |
title_fullStr |
Modeling snow slab avalanches caused by weak-layer failure – Part 1: Slabs on compliant and collapsible weak layers |
title_full_unstemmed |
Modeling snow slab avalanches caused by weak-layer failure – Part 1: Slabs on compliant and collapsible weak layers |
title_sort |
modeling snow slab avalanches caused by weak-layer failure – part 1: slabs on compliant and collapsible weak layers |
publisher |
Copernicus Publications |
publishDate |
2020 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-115-2020 https://www.the-cryosphere.net/14/115/2020/tc-14-115-2020.pdf https://doaj.org/article/a4b25ea10642442d9b75cd4363c1e7fa |
genre |
The Cryosphere |
genre_facet |
The Cryosphere |
op_source |
The Cryosphere, Vol 14, Pp 115-130 (2020) |
op_relation |
doi:10.5194/tc-14-115-2020 1994-0416 1994-0424 https://www.the-cryosphere.net/14/115/2020/tc-14-115-2020.pdf https://doaj.org/article/a4b25ea10642442d9b75cd4363c1e7fa |
op_rights |
undefined |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-115-2020 |
container_title |
The Cryosphere |
container_volume |
14 |
container_issue |
1 |
container_start_page |
115 |
op_container_end_page |
130 |
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1766216371816890368 |