Numerical modelling towards innovative avalanche prevention
Abstract
Dry snow avalnches consist of two distinctive layers. A dense flow layer may be superposed by a powder snow layer, a cloud ofrelatively small ice particles suspended in air. The density of this suspension is one order of magnitude smaller than that of the dense flow. A simulation model for dry avalances has been developed, bades on separate sub-models for the two layers. The sub-models are coupled by an additional transition-model, describing the exchange of mass and momentum between the layers. The fundamentals of the two-dimensional granular flow model for the dense flow and of the three-dimensional turbulent mixture model for the powder flow are presented. Results of the complete coupled model, calles SAMOS (Snow Avalanche Modelling and Simulation), applied to observed catastrophic avalanche events, are discussed, the prediction of powder snow pressures acting on a tunnel bridge is briefly described. SAMOS is used routinely at the Austrian Federal Service for Torrent and Avalanche Control for hazard zoning.
Snow Avalanche Modelling and Simulation snow
Publikationen
Project staff
Wei Wu
Univ.Prof. Dr.Ing. Wei Wu
wei.wu@boku.ac.at
Tel: +43 1 47654-87311
Sub Projectleader
01.03.2007 - 30.06.2011