Modelling of interaction between a snow mantle and a flexible structure using a discrete element method

Abstract. The search of improvement of protective techniques against natural phenomena such as snow avalanches continues to use classic methods for calculating flexible structures. This paper deals with a new method to design avalanche protection nets. This method is based on a coupled analysis of both net structure and snow mantle by using a Discrete Element Method. This has led to the development of computational software so that avalanche nets can be easily designed. This tool gives the evolution of the forces acting in several parts of the work as a function of the snow situation.