LOCATING SNOW FENCES IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN
A SERIES OF TESTS WITH LARGE SNOW FENCES TO CONTROL SNOW ACCUMULATION IN ALPINE AREAS OF CENTRAL COLORADO HAS PROVIDED GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF THE EFFECTS OF SURROUNDING TERRAIN ON SNOWDRIFT CONTROL WITH FENCES. CROSS-SECTIONAL PROFILES OF THE RESULTING SNOWDRIFTS SHOW THAT AN UPSLOPE APPROACH TO THE FENCE CAUSES A SHORT, HIGH DRIFT TO FORM COMPARED TO THE LONG SHALLOW DRIFT FORMED WITH A DOWNSLOPE APPROACH. IN THE DOWNSLOPE APPROACH, HOWEVER, THE TOTAL VOLUME OF SNOW TRAPPED BY THE FENCE MAY EQUAL OR EXCEED THE VOLUME IN THE DRIFT BEHIND A FENCE WITH AN UPSLOPE APPROACH. PROBLEMS OF LOCATING FENCES FOR MAXIMUM EFFECTIVENESS IN IRREGUALAR TERRAIN ARE COMPLICATED BY THE NEED TO MAINTAIN A GAP BETWEEN THE FENCE AND GROUND THROUGHOUT THE SNOW SEASON. PLACING FENCES IN THE LEE OF A RIDGE CREST OR OTHER NATURAL TERRAIN BREAK OFTEN INCREASES THE ADVERSE PRESSURE GRADIENT AND RESULTS IN SNOW DEPOSITION UPWIND OF THE FENCE. SOME CRITERIA FOR AVOIDING THIS SITUATION ARE PRESENTED. /AUTHOR/
- Record URL:
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Corporate Authors:
Highway Research Board (HRB)
Washington, DC -
Authors:
- Schmidt Jr, R A
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Conference:
- Symposium on Snow Removal and Ice Control Research
- Location: Dartmouth New Hampshire, United States
- Date: 1970-4-8 to 1970-4-10
- Publication Date: 1970
Media Info
- Media Type: Digital/other
- Features: Figures; References;
- Pagination: pp 220-225
- Monograph Title: Snow removal and ice control research
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Serial:
- Highway Research Board Special Report
- Issue Number: 115
- Publisher: Highway Research Board
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Control; Cross sections; Location; Mountains; Snow fences; Snowdrifts; Terrain
- Subject Areas: Highways; Maintenance and Preservation;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 00218692
- Record Type: Publication
- Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
- Created Date: Feb 8 1971 12:00AM