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Abstract
Using GIS for Avalanche Hazard Mapping in SwitzerlandTrack: Ski/Avalanche
Author(s): Gruber Urs
In winter 1999 many large avalanches endangered settlements, roads, and railways in Switzerland. Thanks to the previously established avalanche hazard maps, loss of life and buildings was relatively small. Nevertheless, the avalanches in 1999 showed some deficiencies in the existing avalanche hazard mapping procedure. To overcome these deficiencies, new numerical simulation methods, in combination with GIS technology, were applied. GIS is used to identify and analyze avalanche release zones, to determine friction parameters along the avalanche track, to manage digital terrain data, and finally, to plot the hazard maps. Runout distance, speed, and deposits of avalanches were calculated using different numerical simulation models.
Gruber Urs
Swiss Federal Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research (SLF)
Flüelastrasse 11
Davos Dorf, 7260
Switzerland
Phone: ++41814170262
Fax: ++41814170110
E-mail: gruber@slf.ch