DEVELOPING A MODEL FOR PREDICTING SNOWPACK PARAMETERS AFFECTING VEHICLE MOBILITY

Abstract : The presence of snow on the ground can impose limitations on the mobility of wheeled and tracked vehicles. Snow depth and density are the two most easily measured snow properties that can be related to mobility over snow. Existing models of snowpack accumulation and ablation processes and models of internal snowpack structure were examined to determine if a model of the snowpack can be developed for use in predicting the snow parameters that affect mobility. Simple models, such as temperature index models, do not provide sufficient snowpack details, and the more detailed models require too many measured inputs. Components of the various models were selected from a basis of a snowpack model for predicting snow properties related to mobility over snow. Methods of obtaining the input data from some components are suggested, and areas where more development is needed are described.