Determination of equivalent cohesion for snow and ice samples in the cold laboratory of the Geography Faculty of MSU

This paper examines the use of snow and ice as construction materials in polar regions, emphasizing their environmental benefits. Rapid climate change in the polar regions necessitates the maintenance of sustainable infrastructure, and snow becomes a promising option due to its mechanical properties at low temperatures. Technologies such as the production of snow blocks and pipes for use in buildings and thermal insulation are described. Snow compaction plays a key role in the creation of winterized roads and runways, using the ball stamp method to control strength. The results showed an equivalent cohesion for ice at around 0.04, and for compacted snow at 0.01–0.025.