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Compacted Snow

Compacted Snow

Compacted Snow

(OP)
Is anyone aware of testing that has been performed to determine typical densities of plowed/piled snow?

Snow drift according to ASCE max's out at 30 pcf, so I am thinking that it may be somewhere in the 45 to 50 pcf range since the density of solid water is about 90% of liquid water at 32 deg. F.

I have an unusual request to reinforce a retaining wall to retain 10 feet of plowed snow.

RE: Compacted Snow

I would agree with your approach but would actually put it around 100% the weight of water. Reason being that plowed snow often melts slower than unplowed snow and rain or melt water in the pile could increase your density to pretty much the weight of water.

Also, plowed snow should have a very high angle of internal friction so I would imagine the lateral load from such a pile to be quite small but the weight would be quite large.

Maine EIT, Civil/Structural.

RE: Compacted Snow

I would agree with 100% weight of water. You figure it also will have some minor debris in the snow plow from the ground. Are they pushing the pile into the retaining wall? Is the wall only retaining the snow, or is it retaining soil on the opposite side? I would imagine the force from a plow pushing the piles towards the wall is going to be the worst case situation.

RE: Compacted Snow

(OP)
Yeah, that is probably a better idea to run with 62.4; never mind the silliness of restricting the plow guys to anything. If there is snow, they will plow it - they aren't going to give a hoot whether they have reached 10-ft.

Mighty: I do not see internal friction of the snow being a factor here, as the surcharge distribution on the surface of the retained soil is just the snow's weight times it's depth. Sorry, my OP may not have been clear - there is 10-ft of existing retained soil and the wall is 10-feet tall with no parapet extension. Snow will go on top of that.

Thanks for your feedback

RE: Compacted Snow

Ah, I see, I thought the retaining wall was retaining the snow.

Maine EIT, Civil/Structural.

RE: Compacted Snow


You might also consider the effect of a semi-melted and refrozen snowbank impacted by a crazy plow truck driver. It's been my personal experience that they can sometimes easily bring a truck to an abrupt stop when frozen to the ground.

Ralph
Structures Consulting
Northeast USA

RE: Compacted Snow

(OP)
That is a good point, RHTPE. However, the client has decided that they would like to only reinforce part of the wall and add a "snow gate" for their front loader to dump snow over the retaining wall, instead of piling it up at the top. I agree to still add an impact load from the loader at the curb in front of the wall.

RE: Compacted Snow

I don't mean to be a wise ass, but the weight of compacted snow is equal to the weight of uncompacted snow.
The density will affect the final volumne, but not the final weight.
Why not look at the area that will be plowed against this wall, and that's your weight.

Agree with the impact for the over zealous driver impacting against the wall.

RE: Compacted Snow

(OP)

Quote (Once20036)

weight of compacted snow is equal to the weight of uncompacted snow

I don't mean to be a numbskull, but I do not understand what you are trying to explain.

RE: Compacted Snow

I believe he's confused on the original problem. Obviously density will affect the volume and not the weight but the original problem had a 10 foot height limitation so our volume was a given. Thus, density will control weight in the given height.

Maine EIT, Civil/Structural.

RE: Compacted Snow

(OP)
Exactly.

RE: Compacted Snow

We once measured snow ploughed into a pile, at a downtown plaza here in Toronto, at 40 pounds per cubic foot, but that does not mean that it cannot be even denser.

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