Geosynthetics August/September 2022 - 44

FINAL INSPECTION
In this photograph, the geotextilecovered
glacier to the right shows
approximately 14.8 feet (4.5 m) of
snow from the last winter. To the left,
an area that was not covered shows
that the snow has melted down to
the bare rocks. Photograph courtesy
TenCate Geosynthetics
Geotextile covers preserve
glacier resources
I
PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
GEOTEXTILE COVERS FOR
GLACIER PRESERVATION
LOCATION
Tyrol, Austria
PURPOSE
Preservation of snow for
skiing, minimizing need
for artificial snow
SAVINGS
1 euro per cubic meter of snow
GEOSYNTHETIC PRODUCTS
Mechanically bonded,
continuous-filament
nonwovens from 100% UVstabilized
polypropylene
GEOSYNTHETIC MANUFACTURER
TenCate Geosynthetics
44
Geosynthetics | August September 2022
n Austria, glaciers are considered a national treasure. During summer, glaciers are covered
with geotextiles to preserve the natural ice and snow from the winter season. This minimizes
energy expenditures for the production of artificial snow.
Only nine of the numerous glaciers in Austria are operated actively. The operators face the
challenge to align economic and ecological interests. The only way to combine these interests
is to protect the glaciers by means of technical devices.
To date, there is no comparable alternative to covering the valuable Austrian glaciers with
geotextiles. The white nonwoven fabrics reflect most sun radiation (albedo effect) and form
an insulating layer underground due to the voluminous structure.
From a technical point of view, this is the best way to conserve snow and ice from the
winter months in terms of energy efficiency. The insulating layer for the glacier ensures a
smooth beginning of the skiing season without having to produce artificial snow.
" We have brought our product to technical perfection due to our long-standing experience
and continued improvements in cooperation with local universities as well as operators of various
glacier skiing areas, " says Michael Uebigau, sales manager west Austria, TenCate Geosynthetics.
In Tyrol, a state in western Austria, the production of 35 cubic feet (1 cubic meter) of
snow is estimated to cost $3.40 (€3 Euros), while covering the glaciers with geotextiles costs
less than $2.26 (€2 Euros).
TenCate Geosynthetics only uses mechanically bonded, continuous-filament nonwovens
from 100% UV-stabilized polypropylene (PP) to protect glaciers, as these have a considerably
higher elongation strength compared to thermally-bonded filaments.
TenCate has developed a patented special form of mechanical bonding: hydroentanglement
for nonwoven geotextiles. With this method, the needles are replaced by microscopically
small water jets, which intrude the product with extremely high pressure. With this
technique there are no needle breakages, and the bonding of the fibers is much gentler than
with traditional techniques. G

Geosynthetics August/September 2022

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