We used a V-plow mounted to the front of a
Initial open-up
Caterpillar 14G grader equipped with oversize
At Pegasus, we took survey data along the
tires to make the first opening passes on the Pe-
entire length of the runway at 1-m (3-ft) spacing
gasus runway (Fig. 27). There were certain draw-
from the centerline and the east and west sides of
backs to this approach. The large amount of cutting
the runway and generated a three-dimensional
edge on the ice, compared to the width of snow
map of the runway surface (Fig. 10). We grossly
plowed, made the V-blade very susceptible to
exaggerated the vertical scale in this plot to am-
undulations in the ice surface. Thus, the blade
plify the unevenness of the ice surface to make
had the tendency to leave a considerable amount
the undulations more obvious. Clearly, removal
of snow bonded to the ice. As the blade was
of high-frequency bumps was the important task.
mounted on the front of the grader, only a limited
Natural snow cover averaged about 30 cm (12
amount of down pressure could be exerted to
in.) in late August on the proposed Pegasus run-
assist in holding the blade in contact with the ice
way. We planned for removal by stripping and
surface. Also, the blade was a considerable dis-
loosening the snow using a large V-plow, fol-
tance in front of the operator, and was large
lowed by a high-capacity snow blower to remove
enough to be difficult to see over from any posi-
the snow to the sides of the runway. In retrospect,
we may have been able to take advantage of strong
tion. This made it difficult for the grader operator
winds (which occur at specific times of the sea-
to finely control the blade and keep it in contact
son) to assist in snow removal by loosing the
with the ice surface.
We also used an elderly Caterpillar LGP D8
snow and piling it in rows parallel to the wind
equipped with a Balderson coal U-blade to strip
direction. Use of this method requires a good
understanding of the site and greater flexibility in
the snow from the glacial ice surface (Fig. 28). At
first the bulldozer operator worked by "feel," at-
terms of scheduling, since strong winds occur-
tempting to hold the blade just at the snow/ice
rences may be sporadic. It has the advantage of
interface. Owing to the undulating ice surface
cleanly removing the snow far away from the site
and the need to provide some downforce on the
and, under the proper conditions, huge volumes
blade to keep it from riding up in the snowpack,
of snow can be moved in a very short period of
this often resulted in the blade gouging into the
time.
Figure 27. Initial snow stripping on the Pegasus runway using a grader-mounted V-plow.
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