Author(s): Yuanpeng Zheng; Lin Ji; Tao Chen; Chao Jiang
Linked Author(s):
Keywords: Bearing capacity; Compacted snow; Plate load test; Rammsonde; Snow density
Abstract: Compacted snow can serve as a construction material for road infrastructure in cold regions. Compared with conventional specimen sampling and penetration tests, plate load tests provide a more direct evaluation of compacted snow bearing capacity. This study presents a preliminary indoor experimental program involving plate load tests on compacted snow with densities ranging from 430 to 540 kg/m3, complemented by Rammsonde penetration tests and density measurements from snow sampling. Different levels of vertical pressure and compaction duration were investigated. The results demonstrate that compaction under sustained vertical pressure not only increases the bearing capacity of compacted snow but also alters the failure mode, reducing the prominence of sudden bearing-capacity loss. The accompanying density profiles further support these observations. However, further extension of compaction duration under constant vertical pressure did not yield additional enhancement in bearing capacity. As a preliminary investigation, this study provides experimental procedures and insights that may inform future plate load testing practices and construction strategies for compacted snow road structures.
Year: 2026