Development of a New Instrumented Structure for the Measurement of Avalanche Impact Pressure

Accurate knowledge of avalanche impact pressure is vital for the design of avalanche control middle-zone and run-out zone structures. Very little database is available in this regard. With the motivation to fill the knowledge gaps in this area and to develop comprehensive database towards improved guidelines for the avalanche impact pressures on the avalanche control structures, an instrumented structure of size 1.0 m height and 0.65 m width has been developed and installed on a 61 m long experimental facility snow chute located at Field Research Station, Dhundhi (near Manali, Himachal Pradesh), India, for avalanche impact pressure measurement. Four equally spaced piezoelectric force sensors are fitted in the centre of the structure. The measured data has been analysed and compared with the theoretically estimated avalanche impact pressures acquired using the Voellmy–Salm model, and both are found in reasonably good agreement with each other. The obtained results portray that the maximum avalanche impact pressure varies in the range of approximately 15–40 kPa, and the present theoretical predictions are accurate within 20.4% with respect to the experimental observations.