Crack propagation speeds in weak snowpack layers

• Published in: Journal of Glaciology
• Main Authors: Bergfeld, Bastian, van Herwijnen, Alec, Bobillier, Grégoire, Larose, Eric, Moreau, Ludovic, Trottet, Bertil, Gaume, Johan, Cathomen, Janic, Dual, Jürg, Schweizer, Jürg
• Other Authors: Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Institut des Sciences de la Terre (ISTerre), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université Savoie Mont Blanc (USMB Université de Savoie Université de Chambéry )-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Gustave Eiffel-Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers de Grenoble (Fédération OSUG)-Université Grenoble Alpes (UGA), Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule - Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zürich (ETH Zürich)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2022
• Subjects: [SDU.STU.GL]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences/Glaciology; [SDU.STU.GP]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences/Geophysics [physics.geo-ph]; Journal of Glaciology
• Online Access: https://cnrs.hal.science/hal-03808850; https://cnrs.hal.science/hal-03808850v1/document; https://cnrs.hal.science/hal-03808850v1/file/Crack%20propagation%20speeds%20in%20weak%20snowpack%20layers_track_changes.pdf; https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2021.118

International audience For the release of a slab avalanche, crack propagation within a weak snowpack layer below a cohesive snow slab is required. As crack speed measurements can give insight into underlying processes, we analysed three crack propagation events that occurred in similar snowpacks and covered all scales relevant for avalanche release. For the largest scale, up to 400 m, we estimated crack speed from an avalanche movie; for scales between 5 and 25 m, we used accelerometers placed on the snow surface and for scales below 5 m, we performed a propagation saw test. The mean crack speeds ranged from 36 ± 6 to 49 ± 5 m s −1 , and did not exhibit scale dependence. Using the discrete element method and the material point method, we reproduced the measured crack speeds reasonably well, in particular the terminal crack speed observed at smaller scales. Finally, we used a finite element model to assess the speed of different elastic waves in a layered snowpack. Results suggest that the observed cracks propagated as mixed mode closing cracks and that the flexural wave of the slab is responsible for the energy transfer to the crack tip.