Guidelines for avalanche protection dams
In the effort of sustainable development in European mountain ranges, an emphasis has been place on improving the physical basis of dynamic avalanche models. More specifically, concern is placed on modelling flow regimes and the rate of snowfall entrainment and suspension. The impact models have been validated via measurements at full-scale dams. Additionally, partners have collaborated to disseminate results in the form of handbooks and courses in order to help ensure more confidence to all countries in threat of avalanches. One such handbook in particular is that of deflection and catching dam design. It essentially presents various kinds of protection dams and their fundamental principles of operation. The knowledge obtained from lab and full-scale experiments was used for the analysis of the virtues and defects of novel dimensioning criteria. Then the findings were critically compared to those of traditional methods. As a result, recommendations for assessing the suitability of various types of dams in a particular situation as well as the overall design of the dam are provided. Also several examples are used to illustrate the main points. Users of the handbook are invited to share their experience with the authors in regard to the design procedures and dimensioning criteria presented in hope of improving future editions.
