Item: Extended Column Test: Repeatability and Comparison to Slope Stability and the Rutschblock
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Title: Extended Column Test: Repeatability and Comparison to Slope Stability and the Rutschblock
Proceedings: International Snow Science Workshop 2016 Proceedings, Breckenridge, CO, USA
Authors:
- Frank Techel [ WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF Davos, Davos Dorf, Switzerland ]
- Matthias Walcher [ WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF Davos, Davos Dorf, Switzerland ]
- Kurt Winkler [ WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF Davos, Davos Dorf, Switzerland ]
Date: 2016-10-02
Abstract: Information on snow stability is key information when assessing the avalanche situation. However, stability tests like the Extended Column Test (ECT) or the Rutschblock test (RB) are point ob-servations limited to small areas of the snowpack. Spatial variability of the snowpack may be considera-ble and thus test interpretation challenging. After 9 years of operational use, we determined the performance of the ECT. We explored snow profiles, where two ECTs and a RB were conducted. The main findings of our study are: (1) In 21% of the cases the ECT fracture propagation result could not be repeated at the scale of a snowpit. (2) The RB test detected more stable and unstable slopes correctly than a single ECT or two adjacent ECTs.
Object ID: ISSW16_P4.08.pdf
Language of Article: English
Presenter(s):
Keywords: Extended Column Test, Rutschblock, test repeatability, snow stability, fracture propagation
Page Number(s): 1203-1208
Subjects: snow stability fracture propagation test repeatability
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