An Investigation of the Influence on Compacted Snow Hardness by Density, Temperature and Punch Head Velocity

The density, temperature, and punch head velocity are dominant factors to the variation of the compacted snow hardness measured by penetrometers. This effect is essential to the construction and operation of compacted snow roads. The Improved Motor-driven Snow Penetrometers (IMSP) are utilized in this research to control the penetration speed and measure the true cone hardness during snow penetration. This study employs a multi-method approach combining orthogonal experiments and the Support Vector Regression (SVR) technique to analyze the effects of these three factors on snow hardness. The results of this investigation indicate that, under identical conditions, density is positively correlated with the hardness of compacted snow, and its sensitivity and significance to the compacted snow hardness are the greatest. Temperature and penetration speed have an effect on hardness, which cannot be completely ignored. The hardness of snow close to its melting point, regardless of its density, decreases significantly at high penetration rates. This study investigates the factors that influence the hardness of compacted snow and provides substantial technical support for the design, construction, and maintenance of snow roads.