TRB Pubsindex
Text Size:

Title:

NEW ENGINEERING CRITERIA FOR SNOW FENCE SYSTEMS

Accession Number:

00265354

Record Type:

Component

Availability:

Find a library where document is available


Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/03611981

Abstract:

New engineering criteria for snow fences have been used to design a snow control system that is unusually effective in preventing drifts, improving visibility, and reducing the formation of road ice. This paper describes these criteria and the research results on which they are based. The amount of blowing snow arriving at each site was estimated from an equation relating the snow transfer coefficient, the transport distance, and the precipitation received over the contributing distance. Measurements in southeast Wyoming show the "equivalent transport distance" to range from about 500 to 1200 m. The height and number of rows of fencing at each site were selected to provide the required capacity. An equation for computing the cross-sectional area of the saturated lee drift behind the new Wyoming Highway Department standard-plan fence is given. Tall (3.8-m) fences have been used in perference to shorter ones because experience has shown taller structures to be more efficient in trapping snow and to have a much lower construction cost per unit of storage. Because studies have shown the average trapping efficiency of a fence from onset of accumulation to time of saturation to be about 85 percent, storage capacity is made about 20 percent greater than the estimated amount of blowing snow. Terrain can be used to greatly increase the capacity of snow fences; for example, capacity is increased 15-20 percent for each 0.017 rad of downslope behind a fence and about 15 percent for each 0.017 rad of upslope in the approach zone. Because wind sweeping around fence ends reduces storage times the height, length of fences should be at least 30 times their height and staggered barreirs should be overlapped at least 8 times their height.

Supplemental Notes:

Publication of this paper sponsored by Committee on Snow and Ice Control. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.

Monograph Accession #:

01411377

Authors:

Tabler, Ronald D

Pagination:

p. 65-78

Publication Date:

1974

Serial:

Transportation Research Record

Issue Number: 506
Publisher: Transportation Research Board
ISSN: 0361-1981

Conference:

53rd Annual Meeting of the Highway Research Board

Location: Washington District of Columbia, United States
Date: 1974-1-21 to 1974-1-25

ISBN:

0309022991

Media Type:

Digital/other

Features:

Figures (13) ; References (9) ; Tables (1)

Uncontrolled Terms:

Subject Areas:

Design; Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; Materials

Files:

TRIS, TRB

Created Date:

Jan 29 1975 12:00AM

More Articles from this Serial Issue: