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Influence of weak layer heterogeneity and slab properties on slab tensile failure propensity and avalanche release area

Related publications (41)

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Crack propagation speeds in weak snowpack layers

Johan Alexandre Philippe Gaume, Jürg Schweizer, Bertil Trottet, Grégoire Bobillier, Alec van Herwijnen

For the release of a slab avalanche, crack propagation within a weak snowpack layer below a cohesive snow slab is required. As crack speed measurements can give insight into underlying processes, we analysed three crack propagation events that occurred in ...

CAMBRIDGE UNIV PRESS2021

Three-dimensional and real-scale modeling of flow regimes in dense snow avalanches

Johan Alexandre Philippe Gaume, Betty Sovilla, Xingyue Li

Snow avalanches cause fatalities and economic loss worldwide and are one of the most dangerous gravitational hazards in mountainous regions. Various flow behaviors have been reported in snow avalanches, making them challenging to be thoroughly understood a ...

2021

ENHANCED GEOTHERMAL SYSTEMS (EGS) - NUMERICAL PREDICTION OF THE MODE AND LOCATION OF FRACTURE INITIATION

Mohamad Zaarour

Geo-energy is a comprehensive term used to describe any form of energy that comes from the Earth. This includes hydrocarbons such as gas, oil, and coal, but also geothermal energy (shallow and deep). The focus of this thesis is on Enhanced Geothermal Syste ...

2020

Thermal influences on macroscale rock damage

Fracture processes in rock have widespread implications in the geohazard, geomorphologic, and civil and mining engineering communities. Propagation of fractures reduces overall rock mass strength, can lead to large-scale gravitational instabilities, and ca ...

2020

Micromechanical modeling of snow failure

Johan Alexandre Philippe Gaume, Jürg Schweizer, Grégoire Bobillier, Alec van Herwijnen

Dry-snow slab avalanches start with the formation of a local failure in a highly porous weak layer underlying a cohesive snow slab. If followed by rapid crack propagation within the weak layer and finally a tensile fracture through the slab, a slab avalanc ...

2020

Planar hydraulic fracture growth perpendicular to the isotropy plane in a transversely isotropic material

Brice Tanguy Alphonse Lecampion, Haseeb Zia, Fatima-Ezzahra Moukhtari

The configuration of a hydraulic fracture (HF) propagating perpendicular to the isotropy plane of a transversely isotropic (TI) material is encountered in most sedimentary basins. We account for both elastic and fracture toughness anisotropy, and investiga ...

2020

Propagation of fluid driven fractures in transversely isotropic material

Fatima-Ezzahra Moukhtari

The propagation of fluid driven fractures is used in a number of industrial applications (well stimulation of unconventional reservoirs, development of deep geothermal systems) but also occurs naturally (magmatic dyke intrusion). While the mechanics of hyd ...

EPFL2020

Atomistic modeling of fracture

William Curtin, Predrag Andric

Atomistic modeling of fracture is intended to illuminate the complex response of atoms in the very high stressed region just ahead of a sharp crack. Accurate modeling of the atomic scale fracture is crucial for describing the intrinsic nature of a material ...

2019

Dry-snow slab avalanche release is the result of failure initiation in a weak snowpack layer buried below a cohesive snow slab, which is then followed by rapid crack propagation. The Propagation Saw Test (PST) is a field experiment which allows to evaluate ...

2018

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Since the early years of the linear elastic theory of fracture [linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM)], scientists have sought to understand and predict how fast cracks grow in a material or slip fronts propagate along faults. While shear cracks can tra ...

2018