WIND DUCT STUDIES OF DRIFTING SNOW.

Problems in logistics and maintenance resulting from blowing and drifting snow confront stations and operations in nearly all portions of the polar regions. Wind duct experiments were conducted in a cold chamber at the Naval Civil Engineering Laboratory to obtain knowledge of the mechanics of snow movement and deposition. These experiments showed that wind velocity and the avialability of snow to the wind stream contritute most to the amount of snow deposition or erosion temperature becomes influential only when the availability of snow is limited. In addition, snow movement is not significant at wind speeds less than 20 mph unless snow is already present in the wind stream. Tests using models in the present wind duct are recommended to provide an opportunity to study rapidly the characteristics of blowing and drifting snow around novel and unique structures and other facilities. These tests, coupled with field tests, would make possible study of the most promising shapes as well as the gross characteristics of drifting snow at heights greater than 2 feet and wind speeds greater than 20 mph. Author