Breitzug Davos – Integration of Multiple Solutions

Davos is widely known as a city of international importance in the middle of the Swiss Alps. In addition to the numerous tourists who visit the town every year, Davos is also a venue for international events, such as the World Economic Forum. Therefore a reliable road and railway connection that operates all year, independent of time of day and weather conditions, is imperative. Yet, Davos can only be accessed from two sides which are threatened by numerous avalanche paths. One such path is the Breitzug path (literally translated as “wide path”), which affects the cantonal road as well as the railway line of the Rhaetian Railway. Even though a snow shed was constructed in the runout, very large avalanches have historically covered both entrances to the shed. Therefore, the aim is to release the snow in the release area in “small portions” to minimize the risk of large avalanches. This concept has been applied for a long time by implementing artillery weapons and helicopters for avalanche control. Yet, due to the south facing slopes of the Breitzug usually the snow cover experiences fast settlement and stabilization and often these measures could not be applied in time (due to visibility or flying conditions).