Basic Study on Inducing Artificial Avalanche by Explosion Within the Snowpack

Takashi MACHIDA

Minjiao LU

Avalanche inducing technology to ensure the safety of the potentially dangerous area practiced in Japan relies on blasting off the snow layer with the explosive loads imbedded within the snowpack. In Japan, induction of artificial avalanche by explosion within the snowpack has been carried out based on experience. The technology has not yet be established.
In this paper, the loading method for successful induction of the artificial avalanche is studied. It is found from the experiments that the formation of smooth sliding surface was the most important in inducing artificial avalanche. Therefore, the loading method to form a smooth sliding face was studied. In the experiments successfully induced the snow avalanche, the new method by forming a smooth sliding surface demonstrates its effectiveness.
The success or failure of inducing artificial avalanche depending on the loading method was investigated by using the slope safety factor widely used in the soil mechanics.