Pressure-sinkage tests for determining vehicle sinkage on soft soils can be done using a bevameter. In this study, pressure-sinkage tests were performed on snow, which, like soil, is a granular material. However, unlike soil, snow layers are inhomogeneous with varying properties. For tracked vehicles, the shape of the track print is rectangular, which is why rectangular plates are often used for pressure-sinkage tests. The aim of this study was to see if smaller circular plate or smaller rectangular plates can be used instead of larger rectangular plates, and to understand the possible limitations of using small plates. Radius for the circular plate was chosen to be equal to the width of the rectangular plate. Three measuring sessions were performed at different locations during different snow conditions using circular pressure plates and rectangular pressure plates of different aspect ratios. The results show that smaller rectangular plates can be used if the width of the plates remains the same, or circular plates can be used if the radius of the circular plate is equal to the width of the rectangular plate. Limitation comes with increasing pressure, which occurs more quickly with larger-area plates, as larger plates sense solid ground more rapidly than smaller plates. To avoid this, snowpack thickness should be a minimum of five times thicker than maximum sinkage.

Uneven frost heave in roads and railways is a frequent problem in cold regions leading to degradation of structures. To improve drainage, culverts are frequently integrated into road and railway embankments. The presence of culverts changes the temperature distribution in the surrounding soil as cold air passes through the culvert. Consequently, frost depth and corresponding frost heave are increased in the vicinity of the culvert compared to the rest of the structure if frost susceptible soil is present. For an accurate frost related design, information of heat balance between the culvert and the surrounding soil is needed. A field study focusing on convective heat transfer in culverts was conducted in northern Sweden by the authors. Temperatures and air velocities in culverts of three sizes (0.6, 0.8 and 3.4 m) were recorded. Analysis of obtained data is presented in this paper with emphasis on the influence of air velocity on the temperature distribution. Influence of wind on development of airflow in culverts is also addressed. Accuracy of trained gaussian process regression (GPR) models is estimated in predicting temperature distribution inside of culverts. It is concluded, based on the field measurement data, that airflow can significantly affect temperature distribution inside culverts and development of airflow in culverts is largely influenced by the orientation of the culvert in relation to the predominant wind direction.

Mechanical properties of snow related to snowmobiles or similar lightweight tracked vehicles aren't widely researched today and it is difficult to find data. One challenge is that snow properties constantly are changing due to aging, climate conditions and location. Also the measuring procedure is difficult since aged snow often contains layers with various densities and hardness. Soil is to some extent similar to snow, in the context that both are granular materials. The bevameter is a popular device for measuring soil properties, however this device needs to be scaled in order to meet criteria of target for research, i.e. in this case snowmobiles. In this paper a new type of portable bevameter is presented, which is designed and built for measuring snow properties in the field. Results from initial tests are also presented. The aim with the bevameter is to measure snow properties which can be used to simulate the interaction between a snowmobile and soft snow. The designed bevameter can be towed with one snowmobile to the field to execute measurements. One full set of test results is introduced and parameters for simulations are extracted from the result data. The parameters from the data were usable but the quality of the measurements can be improved. One problem with the data collected was noise, which was caused by the interaction between the mechanical parts and the low mass of the bevameter. Furthermore, the usability can be improved by reducing cables which can be hard and fragile during cold weather and by replacing the laser distance-sensor with a string wire potentiometer which isn't sensitive to snow dropping in the measurement area. With some improvements the constructed bevameter is a very useful tool which can be used for field measurements to determine snow properties for snowmobile-size vehicle simulations.

Storage of snow has become of increasing interest for the winter business industry. Covering a pile of snow with an insulating material protects the snow from heat transfer from the surroundings and reduces the melting. Storing snow enables ski resorts to set an opening date, and it can also be used to secure winter sports events that are dependent on snow. Cover materials that are commonly used as insulation are wood-based materials, such as sawdust, and textile materials and sheets. How efficiently a cover material functions as thermal insulation depends on the material characteristics and thickness of the insulating layer. In this study, results from a laboratory experiment are presented, which aimed at comparing different commonly used cover materials, as well as some other materials that have not previously been used as thermal insulation on snow. Different layer thicknesses were also investigated. The results show that the insulating capacity of sawdust is reduced with time. Despite degrading insulating properties with time, sawdust is still considered one of the best materials to use as insulation on snow, and it is also more efficient than the textile materials investigated in this study. Doubling the textile layers or adding a three-dimensional (3D) spacer textile, which implies adding a layer of air between the textile and the snow, reduces the snow melting. Water absorption, water transport, and evaporation of water affect the melting. In this work, evaporative cooling did not prove to reduce melting; therefore, it was not evident whether a textile material should be permeable. An interesting material used in the study was Quartzene, which absorbed all the melt water and protected the snow most efficiently of the materials tested.

First-year ice ridges are one of the main load scenarios that off-shore structures and vessels operating in ice-covered waters have to be designed for. For simulating such load scenarios, the knowledge gap on ice mechanical properties from the consolidated part of first-year ridges has to be filled. In total 410 small-scale uniaxial compression tests were conducted at different strain rates and ice temperatures on ice from the consolidated layer of 6 different first-year ridges in the sea around Svalbard. For the first time uniaxial tensile tests were performed on ice from first-year ridges using a new testing method. Ice strength was evaluated for different ice type, which are determined for each specimen based on a proposed ice classification system for ice from first-year ridges. 78% of all samples contained mixed ice with various compounds of brecciated columnar and granular ice. Ice strength of mixed ice showed isotropy, except for the samples containing mainly columnar ice crystals. For horizontal loading, mixed ice was stronger than columnar and granular ice. The residual strength of ductile ice depended on the strain rate. At 1.5% strain remained 70% of peak strength at 10−4 s−1 and 50% at 10−3 s−1. Ductile failure dominated for 75% of all mixed ice tests at 10−3 s−1 and − 10 °C. Ductile compressive strength was generally higher than brittle compressive strength for mixed ice. Brine volume was the main parameter influencing the tensile strength of the mixed ice which was between 0.14 MPa and 0.78 MPa measured at constant ice temperature of −10 °C.

The arrival of natural snow is often delayed nowadays due to global warming. This causes problems for ski resorts and other places where winter activities in different forms take place. Storing snow provides one solution for the winter business industry to deal with this problem. However, there is so far very little research concerning this question. In this paper a review of current knowledge of snow storage and experiences from mainly Scandinavian snow storages is presented. New results concerning melting losses of stored snow from a trial experiment in the north of Sweden are presented. These results are compared to theoretical calculations. The model used for the calculations is shown to be useful for estimating melting losses of insulated piles of snow. Thus the calculations can serve as an important background when designing an insulated snow depot. The model can also be used to compare different insulating materials and to determine properties such as thickness of the insulating layer needed to sufficiently insulate the snow. By minimizing the surface area of insulated snow depots, melt rate due to heat from the air, sun and sky, which constitute the largest part of the total melt, can be reduced. The quality of insulating materials used will be subject to annual observation. Commonly used insulating materials such as bark, wood chips, cutter shavings and sawdust deteriorate.

Snow has been a subject of research since the mid-20th century. Research on mechanical properties of snow started as an off-shoot of soil mechanics, where methods, tools and instruments used often are the same. However, during the last decades the winter business industry has been growing requiring a number of new fields of research. The aim with this PhD thesis is to investigate and contribute to solutions of some of the new research problems appearing in this area. Machine-made snow is commonly used for buildings and artwork of snow. Only minor scientific studies of machine-made snow and its properties have been published. Therefore, mechanical properties of machine-made snow were investigated. Strength and deformation properties were evaluated through uniaxial compressive tests where cylindrical test specimens were subjected to different constant deformation rates. Creep deformation, bending strength and ultimate load were also evaluated through beam tests. The results showed that the deformation rate is crucial if the snow will deform plastically or if brittle failure will occur. The grain size and structure of the snow had a strong influence on the strength properties. Snow is a constantly changing material with a large variety of grain sizes and shapes. Therefore it is of importance to classify snow. Classication of snow can be done using different methods depending on the property that is to be investigated. Several non-contact detection methods to evaluate snow properties exist. In this thesis, spectral reflectance measurements were performed to investigate liquid water content in snow using two different systems, a spectrometer and an optical sensor called Road Eye. The Road Eye sensor was also used to classify snow in cross-country ski tracks. This method enables a fast classication of a complete track where different types of snow can be distinguished. The properties of a ski track and the characteristics of the snow determine the type of skis that should be selected for optimum sliding properties. Cross-country skis have different mechanical properties, which to a large extent can be evaluated from the span curve of the ski. Depending on the skiing style, the skier's skills, terrain and track conditions different ski properties are required, which is particularly important for competitive skiing. Span curves of cross-country skis were measured using a digital instrument called Skiselector. Results from the investigations showed that skis within the same pair may have signicantly different properties. Moreover, temperature influences the span curve and thus the mechanical properties of the skis. Therefore, skis should be measured at a temperature close to where they are aimed to be used. Field tests of skis with similar span curves but different ski base topography were tested during wet and cold snow conditions. The results indicate that different topographies are preferable during different snow conditions. Due to the climate change, winters have become shorter and warmer with less natural snow. To compensate for the lack of natural snow, ski resorts and other stakeholders produce machinemade snow in order to run their business. Storing snow in insulated piles is an alternative and sometimes a complement to snow production. Studies on stored snow show that the surface area of the pile should be minimized in order to reduce the melt rate. Furthermore, the pileshould be covered with a suciently thick insulating layer, preferably with good evaporation properties. Theoretical calculations can be used to estimate the amount of snow that melts and to predict the efficiency of different materials as thermal insulation on snow. These calculations coincide well with experiments performed in northern Sweden where snow melt was measured. This PhD thesis consists of five publications and an introduction to this area which in particular puts these publications into a more general frame.