Education

since 2008 Lecturer ETH Zurich.
since 1997 Head research group "Protection Measures" at the WSL Swiss Federal Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF Davos.
since 1989 Senior Consultant at the WSL-Swiss Federal Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF Davos.
1988–1989 Research Assistant, Institute of Geotechnical Engineering, ETH Zurich.
1985–1986 Norwegian Railway (Oslo) and Dr. Halter Engineering & Consulting (Zurich): Internship and Research Fellow.
1982–1987 Diploma-Studies in Civil Engineering, ETH Zurich (Dipl. Ing. ETH).

Research

  • Calculation of snow and avalanche forces acting on structures
  • Effectiveness of avalanche defense measures
  • Design of avalanche mitigation measures (e.g. avalanche sheds, dams)
  • Failure analysis and back-calculation of static snow loads, snow pressure or avalanche loads
  • Maintenance of avalanche mitigation measures
  • Back-analysis of avalanche events
  • Risk and cost-benefit analysis
  • Roof snow loads
  • Avalanche modeling

 

Consulting

  • Avalanche defense consulting and hazard mapping (e.g. elaboration and review of hazard maps, application and maintenance of supporting structures, design of avalanche sheds, deflecting and catching dams, snow drift fences), more than 150 consulting reports in Switzerland and countries as Germany, Italy, Austria, Iceland, Japan, Russia, Turkey and Iran.
  • Protection and design of buildings and infrastructure against avalanche impacts and snow pressure.
  • Risk calculations and cost-benefit analysis.
  • Snow and ice loads on buildings, prevention of roof avalanches.
  • Expert witness in court cases especially on hazard mapping and avalanche accidents (e.g. on the catastrophic avalanche event in Galtür in 1999).
  • Proofing engineer of new defense structures in avalanche starting zones.

 

Teaching

  • Graduate Course on “Snow and Avalanches: Processes and Risk Management” at ETH Zürich (together with Jürg Schweizer)
  • Lecturer at the School of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences HAFL
  • Lecturer at the University of Applied Sciences BFH Bern
  • Lecturer at the University of Applied Sciences FH Graubünden, Chur
  • Lecturer in avalanche engineering at the European Summer University on Natural Hazards, 1992 in Chamonix (France), 1995 in Sion (Switzerland), 2000 in Salardu (Spain) and 2004 in Courmayeur (Italy).
  • Courses, excursions and lessons for practitioners in avalanche engineering and hazard mapping (FAN).

 

Professional associations

FAN (Natural Hazard Experts Switzerland)

EKLS (Expert Commission for Avalanches and Rockfall)

SGBF (Schweizerische Gesellschaft für Boden und Felsmechanik)

Member of the technical Commission Swiss building code SIA261: action on structures

Projects

Publications