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Study on snow propagation tests like ECT and PST, exploring stress concentration at edges and its impact on test results. Findings show significant far edge effects, influencing crack propagation and collapse patterns. Implications include test sensitivity to length and potential for increased accuracy with longer tests.
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Edge effects in propagation tests Edward (Ned) H. Bair1,2*, Ron Simenhois3, Alec van Herwijnen4, and Karl Birkeland5 1 US Army Corps of Engineers Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory, Hanover, NH, USA 2 Earth Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USA 3 Southeast Alaska Avalanche Center, Juneau, AK, USA 4 WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF, Davos, Switzerland 5 US Forest Service National Avalanche Center, Bozeman, MT, USA nbair@eri.ucsb.edu
Introduction, propagation test length guidelines Extended Column Test (ECT), l = 90 cm Propagation Saw Test (PST), l = 100 cm or slab depth; whichever is greater Greene, E., et al., 2010: Snow, Weather, and Avalanches: Observational Guidelines for Avalanche Programs in the United States, 136.
G and G∞ • G – energy release rate of the slab • G∞ – asymptotic energy release rate (no far edge effect) • F(r/l) – correction factor • r is crack length • l is test length
Overview • 163 PSTs and ECTs on beams with l = 1-10 m, including some centered ECTs and PSTs • Particle tracking on markers inserted into beams • Finite element modeling for 3 profiles from pits done at tests
Major findings for ECTs and PSTs • Full crack propagation decreased with test length • Greater collapse occurred at the trigger and far end of the beam than in the center • Wavelengths were ~ 3 m, 2x what is predicted by the anticrack model • The far edge effect is significant for tests up to ~ 2 m
Particle tracking, collapse amplitude • Relative to the middle of the beam, the trigger edge collapsed 160% and the far edge collapsed 128%.
Finite element (FE) results • 3 profiles (a,b,c) • fixed crack length (critical length) for each profile
Centered tests • We experimented with centered PSTs (CPSTs) and found that the critical length doubled. • CPSTs require 2x as much digging for the same crack propagation length as a standard PST, so we find them less practical.
Cool aside • We were able to track the collapse amplitude over time for some of the tests that failed on the same layer. • The average decrease was 0.65 mm/day.
Implications • PST and ECT results are sensitive to test length • Longer tests could decrease false unstable results, *BUT* we need to test this hypothesis. • To test our hypothesis, we will examine the accuracy of 2 m tests vs. standard 1 m tests on slope stability.