Haldis Døvle Kalland
About
Investigations on actions from snow and slush flows against structures and mitigation measures
Snow and slush flows are gravity-driven mass flows that constitute a considerable threat to human lives and infrastructure in mountainous regions. Structural mitigation methods, such as rigid fences, flexible nets, deflecting or catching dams, snow sheds or tunnels, may be used to protect against such threats. Fences and net structures typically display a highly nonlinear behavior, and there is a strong interaction between the impacting mass and the structure. A sufficiently in-depth understanding of the load actions on structures from deformations in the snowpack and from snow and slush flows is fundamental for adequate design of mitigation measures.
This PhD-project is motivated by and connected to the extensive mitigation construction works at several sites in Norway, aimed towards improving safety of roads, railways, and buildings in exposed areas.
The project aims to contribute with new knowledge on the effective action of snow pressures and slush flow impacts, and on the behavior of structures when exposed to these loading events. The ultimate goal is to aid engineers in the process of designing structures with appropriate accuracy without compromising the structural integrity. The project will include elements of snow and slush flow dynamics, modelling of moving masses and interaction with structures, and experiments on components and parts of structures.