An Investigation of the Snow Adjacent to Dye-2, Greenland.

Snow samples from five 50-ft 15.2-m deep holes, augered adjacent to the west side of DEW Line Station Dye-2 in Greenland, were investigated for density and unconfined compressive strength. Forty-two percent of the recovered cores were tested. Ninety-three percent of the samples tested had a lengthdiameter ratio greater than 21. The loading rate was 2 in.min 51 mmmin. Sample end-effects appeared to influence a high percentage of the failures. The heavily disturbed nature of the materials is evidenced in the widely scattered values of density and strength with depth. A minimum and maximum strength value of 31 psi 0.21 MPa and 1065 psi 7.34 MPa respectively were obtained from a hole located 50 ft 15.2 m from the structure. Using an approach similar to that used prior to the DYE-3 move in 1976, a safety factor exceeding 6.5 is obtained against a brittle bearing failure based on a maximum footing design load of 2000 lbsq ft 96 kPa. Author