1. ERDC Knowledge Core
2. Pre - Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC)
3. Snow, Ice and Permafrost Research Establishment (SIPRE) - (1947 - 1961)
4. Publication
5. Research Report

Title:	On the deformation of excavations in the Greenland névé
Authors:	Landauer, J. K. (Joseph K.)
Keywords:	Excavation Ice excavation Snow excavation Snow Plasticity Viscosity Deformation Snow tunnels Snow mechanics
Publisher:	U.S. Army Snow, Ice, and Permafrost Research Establishment. Engineer Research and Development Center (U.S.)
Series/Report no.:	Research report (U.S. Army Snow
Description:	Research Report Summary: Deformations occurring in a tunnel, two trenches, and a 30 m deep pit excavated in the Greenland névé in the summer of 1954 have been measured over a period of 2 years. The experimental results indicate that closure rates increase with lateral distance from a restraining boundary up to distances of about 1 m. At larger distances, the effect of the boundary is not appreciable. Closure rates for deep excavations are not found to be strongly depth-dependent. This is due to a roughly parallel increase of viscosity and pressure with depth. Vertical compaction results from the pit agree well with those calculated from the depth-density relation using Sorge's Law. A theoretical calculation for the tunnel and pit closure, which is a modification of existing theories for the deformation of an elastic, compressible, thick-walled cylinder, is in fair agreement with the observed deformations. From this agreement it appears that the flow behavior of the névé can be described on the basis of a Newtonian viscosity. The trench closure is described as the-squeezing out of horizontal layers, fixed at some distance from the trench, and modified only slightly by the drag of neighboring layers. Measurements will be continued during future summers.
Rights:	Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.
URI:	http://hdl.handle.net/11681/2693
Appears in Collections:	Research Report