SNOW DRIFTING ACOUSTIC DETECTOR

Blowing snow reduces visibility and creates snowdrift, posing economic and safety problems especially in regard to winter road maintenance. The Division Nivologie (Grenoble, France) designed a new gauge manufactured by Auteg to detect drifting snow. It has been tested in La Molina (eastern Spanish Pyrenees) during the winters of 1996 and 1997. Based on an acoustic principle, it consists of a miniature microphone located at the base of an aluminum pole of variable length. The pole is exposed to the snow particles flux and while snowdrift occurs, part of the flux impacts the pole. The sound produced by these impacts is recorded as an electric signal. The lower frequencies due to the wind and the higher ones, out of audible range, are filtered.

• Corporate Authors:

  PTRC Education and Research Services Limited

  Glenthorne House, Hammersmith Grove
  London W6OL9,   England 
• Authors:
  • Font, D
  • Naaim-Bouvet, F
  • Roussel, M
  • Jeymond, J
• Conference:
  • Xth PIARC International Winter Road Congress
  • Location: Lulea, Sweden
  • Date: 1998-3-16 to 1998-3-19
• Publication Date: 1998

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Photos; References;
• Pagination: p. 397-406
• Serial:
  • Volume: 3

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Acoustic detectors; Drift; Fluxes; Snow; Snowdrifts
• Geographic Terms: France
• Subject Areas: Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; Vehicles and Equipment; I62: Winter Maintenance;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00751926
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: Technical Report, Volume 1, Volume 2
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Aug 13 1998 12:00AM