Snow Net

Maccaferri Snow Nets enable a considerable reduction of avalanche risks. Maccaferri snow nets are designed in order to stabilize the layer of snow at the potential avalanche detachment zone, thereby preventing the triggering effect of the avalanche.

The layer of snow exerts a pressure that must be absorbed by the nets and transmitted to the ground by means of a system of posts and anchors. The flexibility of the system reduces the pressure exerted by the snow on the structure in a parallel direction to the slope. The stress depends on the slope angle, the thickness of the layer of snow, the environmental conditions and the exposure of the slope itself.

The snow supporting structures act on the slipping and sliding mechanisms of the layer of snow in a downhill direction. This creates a "stagnation zone" on the upslope side, characterized by compression forces, which absorb a part of the dangerous shear forces in the weak layers and limit the propagation of the shear fractures. In this way, there is a reduction in the shear forces and a consequent increase in the stability of the layer of snow.

The snow net must be positioned in the area of the potential detachment of snow. It may be necessary to install various rows of structures, on the upslope and downslope sides of a potential failure point. This limits the propagation of the shear failure and the resulting movement of the mass of snow.

THE MACCAFERRI ADVANTAGE OF SNOW NETS:

Adapt themselves to the acting loads
Cover a wide range of snow thickness (8 ft to 13 ft)
Does not interrupt the continuity of the blanket of snow
Resist dynamic type impact, although they are not designed for this purpose (i.e. falling rock masses)
Low visual impact
May be adapted to any type of ground alignment