Rock Glacier Dynamics by a Thermo-Elastic-Viscoplastic Constitutive Relationship

As a result of mountain permafrost creep, rock glaciers are common features in high-altitude periglacial areas. From practical point view, beyond their localization and inventorying, both the monitoring prediction evolution due to climate changes crucial. One effects change is thickening basal shear zone (the portion glacier where most deformations localized), eventually leading development unexpected unprecedented (in terms location, magnitude, frequency, timing) instability phenomena. These phenomena bear consequences for understanding landscape evolution, natural hazards, safe sustainable operation high-mountain infrastructures. Most studies about active focused on analysis data, while just few modeling behavior understand possible further evolution. The response characterized by viscous (rate-dependent) behavior, influenced seasonal temperature oscillations, transition from slow fast. In this work, new thermo-mechanical model based delayed plasticity theory calibrated experimental results proposed. employed evaluate influence geometry forcing (air temperature) real (Murtèl-Corvatsch glacier) creep behavior.