Dr. Johan Gaume
Function
visiting scientist
WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF
Flüelastrasse 11
7260 Davos Dorf
Site
Davos Da B 1 16
Academic Education
- Engineering school of hydraulics and mechanics, Grenoble Institute of Technology, France
- Master in rheology, mechanics and physics of complex fluids, Grenoble Institute of Technology, France
- PhD in geomechanics applied to slab avalanche release, Grenoble University, France
- Postdoc at ETH Zürich and WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research, Davos, Switzerland
- Research and Teaching Associate at CRYOS, EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland
- SNSF Professor and Head of the Snow and Avalanche Simulation Laboratory (SLAB), EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland
LINKS: Webpage, SLAB, Google Scholar and Researchgate.
Research interests
- Gravitational mass movements
- Geomechanics
- Snow mechanics
- Avalanche formation and dynamics
- Numerical modeling
Videos:
Modeling avalanche release and flow using the material point method
Mechanisms of slab avalanche release and impact in the Dyatlov Pass incident in 1959
FURTHER INFORMATION
Publications WSL
Scientific publication article peer reviewed
Bobillier, G.; Bergfeld, B.; Dual, J.; Gaume, J.; Van Herwijnen, A.; Schweizer, J., 2021: Micro-mechanical insights into the dynamics of crack propagation in snow fracture experiments. Scientific Reports, 11: 11711 (15 pp.). doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-90910-3
Li, X.; Sovilla, B.; Jiang, C.; Gaume, J., 2020: The mechanical origin of snow avalanche dynamics and flow regime transitions. Cryosphere, 14, 10: 3381-3398. doi: 10.5194/tc-14-3381-2020
Ritter, J.; Löwe, H.; Gaume, J., 2020: Microstructural controls of anticrack nucleation in highly porous brittle solids. Scientific Reports, 10, 1: 12383 (10 pp.). doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-67926-2
Kyburz, M.L.; Sovilla, B.; Gaume, J.; Ancey, C., 2020: Decoupling the role of inertia, friction, and cohesion in dense granular avalanche pressure build-up on obstacles. Journal of Geophysical Research F: Earth Surface, 125, 2: e2019JF005192 (18 pp.). doi: 10.1029/2019JF005192
Bobillier, G.; Bergfeld, B.; Capelli, A.; Dual, J.; Gaume, J.; Van Herwijnen, A.; Schweizer, J., 2020: Micromechanical modeling of snow failure. Cryosphere, 14, 1: 39-49. doi: 10.5194/tc-14-39-2020
Comola, F.; Gaume, J.; Kok, J.F.; Lehning, M., 2019: Cohesion‐induced enhancement of aeolian saltation. Geophysical Research Letters, 46, 10: 5566-5574. doi: 10.1029/2019GL082195
Gaume, J.; Van Herwijnen, A.; Gast, T.; Teran, J.; Jiang, C., 2019: Investigating the release and flow of snow avalanches at the slope-scale using a unified model based on the material point method. Cold Regions Science and Technology, 168: 102847 (10 pp.). doi: 10.1016/j.coldregions.2019.102847
Mulak, D.; Gaume, J., 2019: Numerical investigation of the mixed-mode failure of snow. Computational Particle Mechanics, 6: 439-447. doi: 10.1007/s40571-019-00224-5
Benedetti, L.; Gaume, J.; Fischer, J.-T., 2019: A mechanically-based model of snow slab and weak layer fracture in the Propagation Saw Test. International Journal of Solids and Structures, 158: 1-20. doi: 10.1016/j.ijsolstr.2017.12.033
Gaume, J.; Chambon, G.; Van Herwijnen, A.; Schweizer, J., 2018: Stress concentrations in weak snowpack layers and conditions for slab avalanche release. Geophysical Research Letters, 45, 16: 8363-8369. doi: 10.1029/2018GL078900
Gaume, J.; Gast, T.; Teran, J.; Van Herwijnen, A.; Jiang, C., 2018: Dynamic anticrack propagation in snow. Nature Communications, 9, 1: 3047 (10 pp.). doi: 10.1038/s41467-018-05181-w
Gaume, J.; Löwe, H.; Tan, S.; Tsang, L., 2017: Scaling laws for the mechanics of loose and cohesive granular materials based on Baxter's sticky hard spheres. Physical Review E, 96, 3: 032914 (12 pp.). doi: 10.1103/PhysRevE.96.032914
Gaume, J.; Reuter, B., 2017: Assessing snow instability in skier-triggered snow slab avalanches by combining failure initiation and crack propagation. Cold Regions Science and Technology, 144: 6-15. doi: 10.1016/j.coldregions.2017.05.011
Gaume, J.; Van Herwijnen, A.; Chambon, G.; Wever, N.; Schweizer, J., 2017: Snow fracture in relation to slab avalanche release: critical state for the onset of crack propagation. Cryosphere, 11, 1: 217-228. doi: 10.5194/tc-11-217-2017
Comola, F.; Kok, J.F.; Gaume, J.; Paterna, E.; Lehning, M., 2017: Fragmentation of wind-blown snow crystals. Geophysical Research Letters, 44, 9: 4195-4203. doi: 10.1002/2017GL073039
Van Herwijnen, A.; Gaume, J.; Bair, E.H.; Reuter, B.; Birkeland, K.W.; Schweizer, J., 2016: Estimating the effective elastic modulus and specific fracture energy of snowpack layers from field experiments. Journal of Glaciology, 62, 236: 997-1007. doi: 10.1017/jog.2016.90
Monti, F.; Gaume, J.; Van Herwijnen, A.; Schweizer, J., 2016: Snow instability evaluation: calculating the skier-induced stress in a multi-layered snowpack. Natural Hazards and Earth System Science, 16, 3: 775-788. doi: 10.5194/nhess-16-775-2016
Schweizer, J.; Reuter, B.; Van Herwijnen, A.; Richter, B.; Gaume, J., 2016: Temporal evolution of crack propagation propensity in snow in relation to slab and weak layer properties. Cryosphere, 10, 6: 2637-2653. doi: 10.5194/tc-10-2637-2016
Steinkogler, W.; Gaume, J.; Löwe, H.; Sovilla, B.; Lehning, M., 2015: Granulation of snow: from tumbler experiments to discrete element simulations. Journal of Geophysical Research F: Earth Surface, 120, 6: 1107-1126. doi: 10.1002/2014JF003294
Reiweger, I.; Gaume, J.; Schweizer, J., 2015: A new mixed-mode failure criterion for weak snowpack layers. Geophysical Research Letters, 42, 5: 1427-1432. doi: 10.1002/2014GL062780
Gaume, J.; Van Herwijnen, A.; Chambon, G.; Birkeland, K.W.; Schweizer, J., 2015: Modeling of crack propagation in weak snowpack layers using the discrete element method. Cryosphere, 9, 5: 1915-1932. doi: 10.5194/tc-9-1915-2015
Gaume, J.; Chambon, G.; Eckert, N.; Naaim, M.; Schweizer, J., 2015: Influence of weak layer heterogeneity and slab properties on slab tensile failure propensity and avalanche release area. Cryosphere, 9, 2: 795-804. doi: 10.5194/tc-9-795-2015
Podolskiy, E.A.; Chambon, G.; Naaim, M.; Gaume, J., 2015: Evaluating snow weak-layer failure parameters through inverse finite element modelling of shaking-platform experiments. Natural Hazards and Earth System Science, 15, 1: 119-134. doi: 10.5194/nhess-15-119-2015
Gaume, J.; Schweizer, J.; Van Herwijnen, A.; Chambon, G.; Reuter, B.; Eckert, N.; Naaim, M., 2014: Evaluation of slope stability with respect to snowpack spatial variability. Journal of Geophysical Research F: Earth Surface, 119, 9: 1783-1799. doi: 10.1002/2014JF003193
Gaume, J.; Eckert, N.; Chambon, G.; Naaim, M., 2013: Prédétermination des hauteurs de départ d'avalanches : une approche par extrêmes spatiaux. - Evaluation of avalanches release depths: a spatial-extreme approach. Houille Blanche, 30-36. doi: 10.1051/lhb/2013040
Further scientific publications
Montagnat, M.; Chambon, G.; Gaume, J.; Hagenmuller, P.; Sandells, M., 2020: Editorial: About the relevance of snow microstructure study in cryospheric sciences. Frontiers in Earth Science, 8: 619509 (3 pp.). doi: 10.3389/feart.2020.619509
Gaume, J.; Gast, T.F.; Teran, J.; Van Herwijnen, A.; Jiang, C., 2018: Unified modeling of the release and flow of snow avalanches using the material point method. In: 2018: International snow science workshop proceedings 2018. International snow science workshop, ISSW 2018, Innsbruck. 1-5.
Bobillier, G.; Gaume, J.; Van Herwijnen, A.; Dual, J.; Schweizer, J., 2018: Modeling the propagation saw test with discrete elements. In: 2018: International snow science workshop proceedings 2018. International snow science workshop, ISSW 2018, Innsbruck. 976-980.
Benedetti, L.; Fischer, J.; Gaume, J., 2016: A new mechanical framework to interpret weak layer and slab fracture in the propagation saw test. In: 2016: International snow science workshop proceedings 2016. International snow science workshop, ISSW 2016, Breckenridge, CO, USA, October 2-7, 2016. 937-941.
Gaume, J.; Reuter, B.; Van Herwijnen, A.; Schweizer, J., 2016: A new crack propagation criterion for skier-triggered snow slab avalanches. In: 2016: International snow science workshop proceedings 2016. International snow science workshop, ISSW 2016, Breckenridge, CO, USA, October 2-7, 2016. 484-491.
Bair, E.H.; Gaume, J.; Van Herwijnen, A., 2016: The role of collapse in avalanche release: review and implications for practitioners and future reserach. In: 2016: International snow science workshop proceedings 2016. International snow science workshop, ISSW 2016, Breckenridge, CO, USA, October 3-7, 2016. 24-31.
Gaume, J.; Van Herwijnen, A.; Chambon, G.; Wever, N.; Schweizer, J., 2016: Critical length for the onset of crack propagation in snow: reconciling shear and collapse. In: 2016: International snow science workshop proceedings 2016. International snow science workshop, ISSW 2016, Breckenridge, CO, USA, October 2-7, 2016. 12-16.
Schweizer, J.; Reuter, B.; Van Herwijnen, A.; Gaume, J., 2016: Avalance release 101. In: 2016: International snow science workshop proceedings 2016. International snow science workshop, ISSW 2016, Breckenridge, CO, USA, October 2-7, 2016. 1-11.
Steinkogler, W.; Gaume, J.; Löwe, H.; Sovilla, B.; Lehning, M., 2014: Granulation of snow: experiments and discrete element modeling. In: 2014: International snow science workshop proceedings 2014. International snow science workshop, ISSW 2014, Banff, AB, Canada, September 29 - October 3, 2014. 733-737.
Gaume, J.; Chambon, G.; Reiweger, I.; Van Herwijnen, A.; Schweizer, J., 2014: On the failure criterion of weak-snow layers using the discrete element method. In: 2014: International snow science workshop proceedings 2014. International snow science workshop, ISSW 2014, Banff, AB, Canada, September 29 - October 3, 2014. 681-688.
Monti, F.; Schweizer, J.; Gaume, J., 2014: Deriving snow stability information from simulated snow cover stratigraphy. In: 2014: International snow science workshop proceedings 2014. International snow science workshop, ISSW 2014, Banff, AB, Canada, September 29 - October 3, 2014. 465-469.
Gaume, J.; Van Herwijnen, A.; Schweizer, J.; Chambon, G.; Birkeland, K., 2014: Discrete element modeling of crack propagation in weak snowpack layers. In: 2014: International snow science workshop proceedings 2014. International snow science workshop, ISSW 2014, Banff, AB, Canada, September 29 - October 3, 2014. 139-145.
Gaume, J.; Schweizer, J.; Van Herwijnen, A.; Chambon, G.; Eckert, N.; Naaim, M., 2013: The effect of spatial variations of snowpack properties on snow slope stability: a mechanically-based statistical approach. In: Naaim-Bouvet, F.; Durand, Y.; Lambert, R. (eds), 2013: International snow science workshop proceedings 2013. International snow science workshop, ISSW 2013, Grenoble - Chamonix Mont-Blanc, France, October 7-11, 2013. 57-60.
Gaume, J.; Chambon, G.; Eckert, N.; Naaim, M., 2013: Weak-layer spatial variability as a possible trigger of slab tensile failure. In: Naaim-Bouvet, F.; Durand, Y.; Lambert, R. (eds), 2013: International snow science workshop proceedings 2013. International snow science workshop, ISSW 2013, Grenoble - Chamonix Mont-Blanc, France, October 7-11, 2013. 12-16.
Magazine article and brochures
Gaume, J.; Chambon, G.; Eckert, N.; Naaim, M., 2014: Variabilità spaziale degli strati deboli. Neve e Valanghe, 82: 4-9.
Other Publications
All publications PDFs can be found here.
Published articles in refereed journals
[1] Gaume J, Chambon G, Eckert N, Naaim M. 2014. Influence of weak layer heterogeneity and slab properties on slab tensile failure propensity and avalanche release areas., The Cryosphere D.
[2] Gaume J, Schweizer J, van Herwijnen A, Chambon G, Eckert N, Naaim M. 2014. Evaluation of slope stability with respect to snowpack spatial variability., J. Geophys. Res., 119, doi:10.1002/2014JF003193
[3] Podolskiy E, Chambon G, Naaim M, Gaume J. 2014 Evaluation of rupture Mohr Coulomb parameters through finite element modelling of shaking plateform experiments, Nat. Hazard Earth Sys. D., 2(7), 4525-4580
[4] Podolskiy, E.A., Chambon G, Naaim M, and Gaume J. A review of finite element modelling in snow mechanics, J. Glaciol., 13J121
[5] Gaume J, Chambon G, Eckert N, Naaim M. 2013. Influence of weak layer heterogeneity on slab avalanche release: Application to the evaluation of avalache release depths, J. Glaciol., 59, 215
[6] Gaume J, Eckert N, Bel L, Chambon G, Naaim M. 2013. Mapping extreme snowfalls in the French Alps using max-stable processes, Water Resour. Res., 49, featured article
[7] Gaume J, Eckert N, Chambon G, Naaim M. 2013. Evaluation of avalanches release depths: a spatial-extreme approach, La Houille Blanche, (5), 30-36.
[8] Gaume J, Chambon G, Eckert N, Naaim M. 2012. Relative influence of mechanical and meteorological factors on slab avalanche release depth distributions, Geophys. Res. Lett., Vol. 39, L12401.
[9] Eckert N, Coleou C, Castebrunet H, Dechatres M, Giraud G, Gaume J. 2011. Cross comparison of meteorological and avalanche data for characterizing avalanche cycles: the example of December 2008 in the eastern part of the southern French Alps, Cold Reg. Sci. Technol., Vol. 64, pp 119-136.
[10] Eckert N, Gaume J, Castebrunet H. 2011. Using spatial and spatial-extreme statistics to characterize snow avalanche cycles, Procedia Environmental Sciences, Vol. 7, pp 224-229.
[11] Gaume J, Chambon G, Naaim M. 2011. Quasistatic to inertial transition in granular materials and the role of fluctuations, Phys. Rev. E, 84(5), 051304.
Proceeding articles
[12] Gaume J, Chambon G, Reiweger I, van Herwijnen A, Schweizer J. 2014. On the failure criterion of weak-snow layers using the discrete element method., International Snow Science Workshop, Banff, Canada 2014.
[13] Gaume J, van Herwijnen A, Chambon G, Schweizer J., Birkeland K. 2014. Discrete element modeling of crack propagation in weak snowpack layers., International Snow Science Workshop, Banff, Canada 2014.
[14] Gaume J, Schweizer J, van Herwijnen A, Chambon G, Eckert N, Naaim M. 2014. Influence de la variabilité spatiale des propriétés mécaniques du manteau neigeux sur la stabilité d’une pente, 8ème Journée fiabilité des Matériaux et des Structures, Aix en Provence, 9-10 Avril 2014.
[15] Gaume J, Chambon G, Eckert N, Naaim M. 2013. Influence of slab tensile strength and weak layer variability on slab tensile failure propensity, International Snow Science Workshop, Grenoble 2013.
[16] Gaume J, Schweizer J, van Herwijnen A, Chambon G, Eckert N, Naaim M. 2013. The effects of spatial variations of snowpack properties on snow slope stability using FEM, International Snow Science Workshop, Grenoble 2013.
[17] Gaume J, Chambon G, Eckert N, Naaim M. 2012. Relative influence of mechanical and meteorological factors on slab avalanche release depth distributions: an application to the French Alps, International Snow Science Workshop, Anchorage 2012.
[18] Podolskiy E, Chambon G, Naaim M, Gaume J. 2012. Mechanics of weak layer snow under cyclic conditions by FEM, International Snow Science Workshop, Anchorage 2012.
[19] Gaume J, Eckert N, Chambon G, Naaim M. 2011. Predetermination of avalanche release depths. A spatial extreme approach, SHF, Lyon 2011.
[20] Gaume J, Chambon G, Eckert N, Naaim M. 2011. Influence of weak layer heterogeneity on slab avalanche release using a finite element method. International Workshop on Bifurcation and Degradation in Geomaterials, in Springer Series in Geomechanics and Geoengineering, Vol. 11(3), pp 261-266.