ABSTRACT
Demand for polar infrastructure is increasing and accurate determination of bearing capacity from CPT data is increasingly useful. Breakage mechanics theory has been applied to enhance pile end-bearing capacity predictions in crushable soils. Because polar snow can also be considered a crushable geomaterial, this technique may be useful in enhancing bearing capacity predictions using polar snow CPT data. This technique was preliminarily examined to investigate its application in determining bearing capacity from polar snow CPT data. Application of contemporary soil behavioural theories to polar snow undergoing penetration does not routinely occur and insights not typically examined by glaciologists can be obtained. However, extensive controlled laboratory testing is necessary to further refine the application of this technique to accurately deduce bearing capacity from CPT in polar snow.
