Modeling Snow Failure Behavior and Concurrent Acoustic Emissions Signatures With a Fiber Bundle Model

Abstract

AbstractSnow failure is the result of gradual damage accumulation culminating in macroscopic cracks. The failure type strongly depends on the rate of the applied load or strain. Our aim was to study the microstructural mechanisms leading to the macroscopic loading rate dependence. We modeled snow failure and the concurrent acoustic emissions for different loading rates with a fiber bundle model and compared the model results to laboratory experiments. The fiber bundle model included two time‐dependent healing mechanisms opposing the loading‐induced damage process: (a) sintering of broken fibers and (b) relaxation of load inhomogeneities due to viscous deformation. The experimental acoustic emissions features could only be reproduced correctly if both healing mechanisms were included in the model. We conclude that both sintering and viscous deformation at a microscopic level essentially contribute to the macroscopic loading‐ and strain‐rate dependent behavior of snow.