1. Fuzzy factorial analysis of snow avalanches
- Author
-
Claude Jaccard
- Subjects
Atmospheric Science ,Engineering ,Meteorology ,business.industry ,Fuzzy set ,Poison control ,Terrain ,Soil science ,Snowpack ,Snow ,Stability (probability) ,Fuzzy logic ,Matrix (mathematics) ,Earth and Planetary Sciences (miscellaneous) ,business ,Water Science and Technology - Abstract
The mutual influence of 21 factors pertaining to terrain, weather, forest and snowpack have been discussed by 10 experts. The semantic (nil, weak, medium, high) evaluations are translated as membership degrees of fuzzy sets, and averaged between the experts by taking their fuzzy expectation value, yielding a 21 × 21 fuzzy matrix for direct interactions. Fuzzy successive multiplications and additions of the matrix give the indirect interactions. The activity and the passivity of the factors with respect to avalanches is represented by directed weighted graphs, and the average semantic values by a 4 × 4 matrix: the activity (passivity) is weak (strong) for tree damage; medium (nil) for altitude; medium (weak) for ground shape; medium (medium) for vegetation, soil, wind, microclimate, tree type, vertical distribution and mechanics of trees, snowpack distribution and snow gliding; strong (nil) for ground inclination and exposition, weather; strong (medium) for heat, precipitation, horizontal distribution of trees, snowpack constitution and stability.
- Published
- 1990