Journal of Natural Disaster Science

THE APPLICATION OF A NEW MODEL OF POWDER SNOW AVALANCHES

Yusuke FUKUSHIMA
Associate Professor, Nagaoka University of Technology
and
Norio HAYAKAWA
Professor, Nagaoka University of Technology

(Received 10 November 1992 and revised 3 June 1993)

Abstract

A fluid dynamic model of powder snow avalanches is developed to use three-dimensional topographical data and simulate the running course of an avalanche. It also can predict variations in the height, speed, and concentration of snow particles in an avalanche, as well as the level of turbulence. This model consists of mass conservation equations for air and snow particles, momentum conservation equations in two directions, and an approximate conservation equation of turbulent energy. It has been applied to the Maseguchi avalanche, which occurred m 1986 at Maseguchi, Niigata, Japan.

Key words

powder snow avalanche, natural disaster, simulation, density current