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Avalanche Safety and Prevention

Avalanches are caused by the accumulation and bonding of snow layers, becoming unstable due to weak bonds and sudden environmental changes. The ideal slope for avalanches is between 30-40 degrees, and preventive measures include monitoring, controlled detonations, and avoiding hazardous areas. There are two main types of avalanches: loose snow avalanches, which start from a single point, and slab avalanches, which are more dangerous and involve larger cohesive snow layers.

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38 views6 pages

Avalanche Safety and Prevention

Avalanches are caused by the accumulation and bonding of snow layers, becoming unstable due to weak bonds and sudden environmental changes. The ideal slope for avalanches is between 30-40 degrees, and preventive measures include monitoring, controlled detonations, and avoiding hazardous areas. There are two main types of avalanches: loose snow avalanches, which start from a single point, and slab avalanches, which are more dangerous and involve larger cohesive snow layers.

Uploaded by

18walesi
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Avalanches

How are avalanches caused?


-​ As snow falls it builds up layer on layer
-​ Over time, layers harden and bond to one another
-​ When layers form weak bonds, any snow falls on an unstable foundation
-​ Sudden changes in snowfall, winds or temperature causes an avalanche

What is the perfect slope for an avalanche?


-​ Over 60D- too sleep
-​ Under 25d- too shallow
-​ 30-40 degrees- Perfect

How can we reduce the impact of avalanches?


-​ Monitoring slopes
-​ Sett of explosive charges to artificially induce avalanches and remove source
material (unstable snow)
-​ Search and rescue teams practice finding people
-​ Avoid steep slopes, gullies
-​ Close high hazard areas to reduce risk and vunerability

Conditions for avalanches


-​ Slopes over 22 degrees
-​ North facing slope where the lack of sun inhibits the stabilisation of the snow
-​ Compaction of freshly fallen snow
-​ Temperature change
-​ Movement of meltwater through the snow

Loose snow avalanche


-​ Start from a single pount- triangle
-​ Involves loose powderly snow, lacks cohesion (freshly
fallen)

Slab avalanche
-​ More deadly
-​ Large slab of ice and snow shattering away from a
hillslide
-​ Strong cohesion of snow layers

Loose snow avalanche


Classification of measure Description Diagram

Type of Breakaway From a point formed with loose snow

Position of sliding surface Whole snow cover involved → full depth


avalanche

Form of track in Open slope → unconfined avalanche


cross-section

Form of movement Through the air → Airborne powder


avalanche

Humidity of the snow Dry snow avalanche

Slab avalanche

Classification of measure Description Diagram


Type of Breakaway From an area formed of a slab, leaving a
wall

Position of sliding surface Some top strata only involved → surface


avalanche

Form of track in Channeled in cross-section → in a couloir


cross-section

Form of movement Along the ground → flowing avalanche

Humidity of the snow Wet snow avalanche

Preventions :
-​ Urban free areas
-​ Number of tourists

Impact pressure (tonnes/m3)


0.1- breaks windows
0.5- pushes in doors
3- destroys wood frame structures
10- uproots trees
100- moves reinforced concrete structures

When and why most avalanches occur


-​ February (french alps)
-​ Most snow
-​ 41% avalanches in swiss alps are between 2000-2500m
-​ Continuous snow cover
-​ Human activity
-​ Persistent weak layers at higher elevations due to temperature gradients and
snow metamorphosis
Measure to reduce impact of avalanches
1.​ Avalanche shed
2.​ Fences
3.​ Retardant mounds
4.​ Afforestation
5.​ Walls
6.​ Urban free areas
7.​ Number of tourists

Sheds
-​ Allow avalanche to pass over road/railway line so transport isnt disrupted
-​ Expensive to construct and made of wood, concrete and steel

livigno, italian alps

Avalanche fences
-​ Constructed in avalanche starting zones
-​ Reduce frequency of large slab avalanches
-​ Break up slope into small areas to prevent a mass of snow building up

Retardant mounds
-​ Used to break up flowing snow at end of run out zone
-​ No more than 15-20D, built as close together as possible, no more than 6m high and
about 2m at top

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