Research

The planned knowledge convention serves to facilitate professional exchange between representatives from the field and students and researchers from the Institute for Alpine Natural Hazards (ALPE). The aim is to strengthen cooperation, knowledge transfer and joint discussion of current challenges and solutions in the field of alpine natural hazard prevention. The programme includes: Specialist lectures and discussion formats with contributions from practitioners and researchers, guided excursions to relevant projects and research areas, workshops to promote knowledge transfer between generations and disciplines, opportunities for networking and strategic coordination of future cooperation.

The DYMAS project aims to detect and monitor the dynamic effects of mass movements such as rockfalls, avalanches, landslides and debris flows on flexible protection systems. These hazards pose a significant threat to settlements and infrastructure in the Alpine region. Effective monitoring of these protective structures is therefore crucial in order to initiate maintenance measures in good time and to warn of overload. A previous project, RODAS, developed an innovative detection system that uses acoustic sensors to detect rockfalls via structure-borne sound on the guy wires of protective nets. This system showed promising results, but further research questions remain open. The follow-up project DYMAS has the following objectives: 1. Magnitude estimation: Different impact magnitudes are to be categorised based on acoustic signals in order to provide network operators with a rough estimate of the magnitude of the dynamic impact. 2. Wireless stations: The current system setup requires long cables, which increases installation costs and susceptibility to errors. Therefore, further development with wireless data transmission is planned, whereby methods such as GPS, radio or WIFI are to be tested. In addition, it will be investigated whether an installation with only one sensor and the evaluation of acoustic reflections at the end of the cable offers stable detection. 3. Extension to other processes: The system will also be tested for other gravity-induced processes such as debris flows and avalanches. To this end, it will be installed at other locations affected by these hazards. 4. Further development into a fully-fledged product: The hardware and software setup of the system will be evaluated and revised to enable larger quantities to be produced. The communication and data platform will be adapted to the needs of users, and the possibilities for use as an alarm system will be examined. The DYMAS project thus aims to comprehensively improve and expand the existing detection system in order to ensure reliable monitoring and protection against various alpine mass movements.

Analysis and assessment of existing avalanche-related geocommunication implementations. This process aims to identify strengths and weaknesses in current implementations in order to gain valuable insights for further development. The scope and definition of objectives in the areas of geocommunication, usability, geodata foundations and practical relevance will be recorded. The results of the evaluation form the basis for the design of optimised methods and workflows within the framework of an overall project that is yet to be defined. The second part of the project deals with: (1) Supplementary evaluation and development of further methods for the functional, cartographic communication design of strategies for conveying avalanche-related information (2) Analysis and design of suitable methods and techniques for recording and analysing avalanche-related data and communicating its content within the framework of functional, cartographic communication design