12 Aug 2025

Applicability of Two-Phase Modeling with Compression Experiments for Snow Compaction Dynamics

Abstract: Compaction is a rheological process which has been modeled using a 1-D two-phase continuum framework. However, it has been posed as a promising method for modeling densification of snow into glacial ice, where the conventional model is empirical or semi-empirical. We explored the applicability of a one-dimensional two-phase continuum framework for modeling snow compaction through theoretical and laboratory methods by analyzing and simplifying theory, then experimentally constraining the model coefficient. We found the limit of slow compaction is reached such that air evacuation during the compaction process does not impede the deformation of ice grains. Model-data comparisons are performed using data from a series of uniaxial compression experiments of snow samples under a range of compaction rates and densities at –10° and –20 °C. By defining a linear effective pressure function, we constrain the model parameter by tuning against the data. While our model follows proper simplification of theory, temperature and microstructural dependence are determined by the model parameter in a rheological formulation with the strain rate; much scatter still exists. Within the selected range of compaction rates and densities, a 1-D two-phase model with a continuum framework alone does not likely capture important processes involved in the compaction process.