Item: Snowcatcher: A New Snow Avalanche Protection Measure
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Title: Snowcatcher: A New Snow Avalanche Protection Measure
Proceedings: Proceedings, 2012 International Snow Science Workshop, Anchorage, Alaska
Authors:
- Engelbert Gleirscher [ Federal Research and Training Centre for Forests, Natural Hazards and Landscape - BFW, Department of Natural Hazards, Innsbruck, Austria ]
- Jan-Thomas Fischer [ Federal Research and Training Centre for Forests, Natural Hazards and Landscape - BFW, Department of Natural Hazards, Innsbruck, Austria ]
- Elisabeth Rainer [ Federal Research and Training Centre for Forests, Natural Hazards and Landscape - BFW, Department of Natural Hazards, Innsbruck, Austria ]
- Gernot Stelzer [ Trumer Schutzbauten GmbH ]
- Lambert Rammer [ Federal Research and Training Centre for Forests, Natural Hazards and Landscape - BFW, Department of Natural Hazards, Innsbruck, Austria ]
- Martin Kern [ Federal Research and Training Centre for Forests, Natural Hazards and Landscape - BFW, Department of Natural Hazards, Innsbruck, Austria ]
Date: 2012
Abstract: Steel wire rope nets have become common as protection measure against avalanches in Europe by preventing a release in the potential starting zone. A novel approach that has gained much ground through new research is to retard the movement of an avalanche after it has been initiated, that is in its path or run out zone. Such systems have the potential to be more cost efficient than traditional structures such as avalanche protection dams, saving both time and space of installation. In Lech (Vorarlberg - Austria) a Snowcatcher prototype was installed and instrumented with several load measuring pins, which record the dynamic loads caused by an avalanche. 24 avalanche events in 4 years were detected. In addition to the field tests, scaled granular experiments were performed in the laboratory. These tests show that the Snowcatcher leads to a significant reduction of avalanche velocities. Subsequently the calculated Froude numbers decrease, indicating less destructive power of the avalanche. As well, the spreading of the avalanche in the deposition zone decreases downslope of the Snowcatcher.
Object ID: issw-2012-937-942.pdf
Language of Article: English
Presenter(s): unknown
Keywords: snow net, protection measure, granular experiment
Page Number(s): 937-942
Subjects: avalanche protection snowcatcher artificial avalanche release techniques
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